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Taka Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

The subject

0 01i01font00Worrying about measuring time precisely, and being paid for units of time, is what distinguishes the West from many other civilizations. 02font00It is what compelled human beings to ever more technological creativity, as we broke time down into smaller and more accurate units.02br
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02i00About the subject in the sentence in red, is it:02br
02br
00(1) Worrying about 01font00[02font00measuring time precisely+ being paid for units of time01font00]02br
00(i.e. the subject is the worrying about something)02br
02font02br
00or02br
02br
00(2) 01font00[02font00Worriyng about measuring time precicely01font00]02font00+01font00[02font00being paid for units of time01font00]02br
00(i.e. the subject is the worrying about something and the being paid for the units)02br
02br
00?02br
02font00 0-
  

Top answer

) is notorious for its ability to build ambiguous structures, and you are particularly adept at flushing them out the bushes, I must say! 02br 02br 00 CJ010id1

— CalifJim

  • ) is notorious for its ability to build ambiguous structures, and you are particularly adept at flushing them out the bushes, I must say!
  • 02br 02br 00 CJ010id1
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21 Answers
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0 Your choice!02br
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00English (or is that all language?) is notorious for its ability to build ambiguous structures, and you are particularly adept at flushing them out the bushes, I must say! 05002br
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00 I interpret the sentence as you do in your first formulation, if my particular choice is of interest to you!02br
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00
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0 01blockquote
01cite10CalifJim12cite10Your choice!12br
12br
10English (or is that all language?) is notorious for its ability to build ambiguous structures, and you are particularly adept at flushing them out the bushes, I must say! 15012br
12br
10 I interpret the sentence as you do in your first formulat
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0 I would guess the author meant the first because he or she chose the singular "is" as the verb. So that makes me thinkg it's the worrying about [two things] that's the subject, rather than a compound subject which would take a plural "are." 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite10I would guess the author meant the first because he or she chose the singular "is" as the verb. So that makes me thinkg it's the worrying about [two things] that's the subject, rather than a compound subject which would take a plural "are."12blockquote
10Is it necessary so, GG?02br
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0 Sure, "bread and butter" and "gin and tonic" (and "ham and eggs" and other things that "go together") can take a singular subject, but the author of this passage has joined two things that are not a standard pairing. 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite10Sure, "bread and butter" and "gin and tonic" (and "ham and eggs" and other things that "go together") can take a singular subject, but the author of this passage has joined two things that are not a standard pairing.12blockquote
10Aren't '00worrying about measuring time precisely' and '
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0Perhaps we pair them in our brains, but not often enough in our writing that they would qualify for the singular verb, the way we do "fish and chips" or "love and marriage" or the other examples you gave earlier. 0-
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0 01i01font00Worrying about measuring time precisely, and being paid for units of time = subject02font02i00 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite10Perhaps we pair them in our brains, but not often enough in our writing that they would qualify for the singular verb, the way we do "fish and chips" or "love and marriage" or the other examples you gave earlier. 12br
12blockquote
10Hmm...but isn't 'gerund AND gerund=singular' anywa
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0Like "Running and swimming is my favorite form of exercise"? No. That would be "...are my favorite forms of exercise."0-
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