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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
That is / Those are
Are these correct? What do they mean?
1. That is Tina and Judy. (How is this one correct? The subject is 'Tina' and 'Judy' ?. I hear a lot of people use this though.)
2. Those are Tina and Judy. (This one sounds odd but the subject verb agreement is right? I hear nobody uses this. How come?)
3. There is Tina and Judy. (How is this one correct?)
4. There are Tina and Judy. (Same with this one, it sounds odd? But it is grammatical and no one uses it? Why?)
In terms of meaning, how does #1 compare with #2?
Thanks.
1. That is Tina and Judy. (How is this one correct? The subject is 'Tina' and 'Judy' ?. I hear a lot of people use this though.)
2. Those are Tina and Judy. (This one sounds odd but the subject verb agreement is right? I hear nobody uses this. How come?)
3. There is Tina and Judy. (How is this one correct?)
4. There are Tina and Judy. (Same with this one, it sounds odd? But it is grammatical and no one uses it? Why?)
In terms of meaning, how does #1 compare with #2?
Thanks.
Top answer
Hello Jack I would say "This is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". But I'd not say "That is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". "That" seems as if I were indicating a thing rather than a person.
- Hello Jack I would say "This is Jack, and Mary, and Betty".
- But I'd not say "That is Jack, and Mary, and Betty".
- "That" seems as if I were indicating a thing rather than a person.
- paco
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4 Answers
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Hello Jack
I would say "This is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". But I'd not say "That is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". "That" seems as if I were indicating a thing rather than a person.
paco
I would say "This is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". But I'd not say "That is Jack, and Mary, and Betty". "That" seems as if I were indicating a thing rather than a person.
paco
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I'd also say it depends on the context...
1.A "I saw two young girls on my way to the farm"
B "that will be Tina and Judy"
2. "Hello, let me introduce you to all my daughters: these two here are Jane and Sally, and those (over there) are Tina and Judy"
3. A "Are there girls in your grade?"
B "Yes, there is Tina and Judy""
4. I would use "is
1.A "I saw two young girls on my way to the farm"
B "that will be Tina and Judy"
2. "Hello, let me introduce you to all my daughters: these two here are Jane and Sally, and those (over there) are Tina and Judy"
3. A "Are there girls in your grade?"
B "Yes, there is Tina and Judy""
4. I would use "is
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1.A "I saw two young girls on my way to the farm"
B "that will be Tina and Judy"
How come 'that' is okay here? What is 'that' referring to?
3. A "Are there girls in your grade?"
B "Yes, there is Tina and Judy""
4. I would use "is" here
How come 'is' is correct there? Is it okay if
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1. I can only justify it by saying "two young girls near the barn" is taken as a whole, > THAT is Tina and Judy.
2. With there is/there are, you use "is" if the following word is in the singular, and "are" if it is in the plural.
2. With there is/there are, you use "is" if the following word is in the singular, and "are" if it is in the plural.
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