0
Saud shakeel Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

subject-verb agreeement

Here is an statement
Harvey told me that ham and eggs are his favorite breakfast.
In my book "are" is marked as a mistake and it is replaced by "is".
I am unable to understand that how can "is" be used there ? HAM AND EGG makes plural so "are" should be correct.
please help
  

Top answer

"Ham and eggs" can be considered a singular 'entity' (a meal) instead of focusing on the individual components.

— Ozzourti

  • "Ham and eggs" can be considered a singular 'entity' (a meal) instead of focusing on the individual components.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

8 Answers
0
"Ham and eggs" can be considered a singular 'entity' (a meal) instead of focusing on the individual components.
0
0
ok ozzourti but i have other examples too that are denoting towards the usag of plural verb.
fot instance:
1)John and maya are going to the party tonight.
2) Fruit like apples and oranges are juicy.
0
0
saud shakeel1)John and maya are going to the party tonight.
We have two individuals here. They can't really be seen as a 'singular entity'.

John and Maya are going to the party tonight.
saud shakeel2) Fruit like apples and oranges are juicy.
I would use the plural form "fruits", because we're no
0
0
saud shakeelI am unable to understand that how can "is" be used there ?
Unfortunately, this requires some cultural knowledge.

We think of "ham and eggs", a very common combination for us, as "a meal of ham and eggs". That means we think of it as a singular (meal). fish and chips and pork and beans are two more like that.
0
0
Ok.CalifJim but how we will recognize of such sentences ? they are often very confusing . How to avoid mistakes then? because I consitder those as plural . What I learnt is "when AND is used and it is denoting two quantities then always use plural form of verb."
0
0
Will it be "fruit" or "fruits" ? I am often confused . Is fruit singlular or plural ? In the book it is written don't use "s" with fruit.
0
0
saud shakeelOk.CalifJim but how we will recognize of such sentences ?
You won't recognize such sentences until you have seen many more examples. You learn each exceptional case as you see it when you read English. This can't be done in a day, so you have to be patient.

CJ
0
0
saud shakeelIs fruit singlular or plural?
Singular. The fruit is stored in the refrigerator. In this sentence, fruit refers to all the pieces of fruit of any kind that are in the refrigerator.

CJ
0

Related Questions