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Horizon981 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Subject-Verb agreement
I read that in order to find the subject of a sentence, search for a verb and then decide "who" performed that action.
So, in "According to scientists, a cat lives long.", the subject is "cat" and hence we use a singular verb. Is this right?
If so, help me out in the following sentence:
This type of questions (is/are) quite common.
The only verb I find here is the verb (helping verb?) "is". But what is the subject: "questions", or "type"? Why?
So, in "According to scientists, a cat lives long.", the subject is "cat" and hence we use a singular verb. Is this right?
If so, help me out in the following sentence:
This type of questions (is/are) quite common.
The only verb I find here is the verb (helping verb?) "is". But what is the subject: "questions", or "type"? Why?
Top answer
English is exceptionally flexible and unsettled as to structures like this. My opinion is that both is and are are possible and correct. If one focuses on the type of questions, is is the natural choice.
- English is exceptionally flexible and unsettled as to structures like this.
- My opinion is that both is and are are possible and correct.
- If one focuses on the type of questions, is is the natural choice.
- If One thinks of the number of questions, are is correct.
- You take your pick!
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6 Answers
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English is exceptionally flexible and unsettled as to structures like this. My opinion is that both is and are are possible and correct. If one focuses on the type of questions, is is the natural choice. If One thinks of the number of questions, are is correct. You take your pick!
Structures like yours give endless fodder to language experts and
Structures like yours give endless fodder to language experts and
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So we are saying both "type" and "questions" are the subjects here?
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The sentence doesn't work for me - This type of question is or These types of questions are.
The "This" with "questions" doesn't mesh. Even if there are many similar questions, it's still one type.
The "This" with "questions" doesn't mesh. Even if there are many similar questions, it's still one type.
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Sorry if I am dragging it too long, but suppose we are talking about the trigonometry questions. Also suppose that in an exam with total 100 questions, 40 were from trigonometry alone.
Here, the type is one, but questions are many. I feel that "This type of questions" is not wrong to ask.
Here, the type is one, but questions are many. I feel that "This type of questions" is not wrong to ask.
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Hi,
I read that in order to find the subject of a sentence, search for a verb and then decide "who" performed that action. Good advice.
So, in "According to scientists, a cat lives long.", the subject is "cat" and hence we use a singular verb. Is this right? Yes
If so, help me out in the following sentence:
This type of questions (is/are) quite common.
I read that in order to find the subject of a sentence, search for a verb and then decide "who" performed that action. Good advice.
So, in "According to scientists, a cat lives long.", the subject is "cat" and hence we use a singular verb. Is this right? Yes
If so, help me out in the following sentence:
This type of questions (is/are) quite common.
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Oh great. Thanks!
So what we have here is not a normal construction.
So what we have here is not a normal construction.
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