Two minutes remaining

Question

Hi.Why is to be verb   omitted in the phrase two minutes remaining?Why don't we  say  two minutes are remaining.Is there any grammatical rule behind it?Thanks

CSnyder · Accepted Answer

Because it's a truncated form of the sentence "There are x minutes remaining."

Hrsanei · Answer

Of course it is the short form of two minutes are remaining. There is no doubt about that.

What I say is that why are can be omitted? This fact just applies to this sentence.

You can never omit is in 'it is raining'

I wish you could reply more wisely.

Cheers

CalifJim · Answer

Note the difference.

There are x minutes remaining.

X minutes are remaining.

X minutes remaining is a short form of the first, not of the second. remain is a non-progressive verb, so we don't have is remaining, are remaining. It would be X minutes remain. remaining, used separately, is an alternative to left. There are X minutes left. You can almost think of this pattern as an idiom: There is/are X ... left/remaining.

Likewise, There is no rain today can shorten to No rain today, but you can't shorten It is raining to It raining.

These shortenings are only used in certain casual styles, of course. They aren't used in formal writing.

CJ

Hrsanei · Answer

Thanks Jim.

As helpful as always.

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