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Seraphin Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
singular or plural verb form
In the dictionary, the word "respectively" is defined as "referring to each person or thing in the order in which they are mentioned".
Thus I wonder in the following sentence, should we use the singular verb form "was" or the plural verb form "were".
Homo sapiens sapiens and Homo sapiens idaltu "was" found in the African continent and the Asian continent respectively. (this is a made-up sentence)
Thus I wonder in the following sentence, should we use the singular verb form "was" or the plural verb form "were".
Homo sapiens sapiens and Homo sapiens idaltu "was" found in the African continent and the Asian continent respectively. (this is a made-up sentence)
Top answer
I would say "were". Rui (not a native speaker).
- I would say "were".
- Rui (not a native speaker).
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9 Answers
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**** sapiens sapiens and **** sapiens idaltu = they.
Simple past tense third person plural of the verb "to be" is "were".
Simple past tense third person plural of the verb "to be" is "were".
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**** sapiens sapiens and **** sapiens idaltu were found ...
and it has nothing at all to do with the word 'respectively'.
CJ
and it has nothing at all to do with the word 'respectively'.
CJ
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Okay, how about this sentence then:
He gives his three children ten, five and one dollar(s?) respectively.
(Is it dollar or dollars?)
He gives his three children ten, five and one dollar(s?) respectively.
(Is it dollar or dollars?)
00
It's singular because the number before the noun is "one", but if you were to change the order it would be plural: "He gives his three children one, five and ten dollars respectively".
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which verb and noun in respective parenthesis in the sentence below is appropriate:
Tito, Vic and Joey (has or have) been assigned to clean up the ground, second and third (floor or floors), respectively.
Tito, Vic and Joey (has or have) been assigned to clean up the ground, second and third (floor or floors), respectively.
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Hi,
which verb and noun in respective parenthesis in the sentence below is appropriate:
Tito, Vic and Joey (has or have) been assigned to clean up the ground, second and third (floor or floors), respectively.
Clive
which verb and noun in respective parenthesis in the sentence below is appropriate:
Tito, Vic and Joey (has or have) been assigned to clean up the ground, second and third (floor or floors), respectively.
Clive
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I'd argue that it's got to be, "ten, five and one dollars" as listing numbers that way is an old form of describe an amount. As in, "Four score and seven years ago […]," which describes the numerical value 87 years. So if it were1, "Four score and one years ago," which describes the value 81, it wouldn't really make sense to use the singular, would it?
I could be w
I could be w
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