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Alex-93 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Was/were
Hi 
,
I was currently reading in my english book, when I encountered a phrase that I admittedly understood, but it seemed to me that there's a grammatical error.
I'm going to show you a little excerpt that's about youth culture in the 20th century, just to give you some background:
And what the advertisers could not achieve, peer pressure did: it was your own friends who would laugh at you if you were not wearing the right clothes or listening to the right music.
Hasn't it to be either: it was your own friend who would laugh at you... or it were your own friends who would laugh at you... ?
To me the sentence doesn't make any sense, is this expression colloquial or must it be a mistake by the producers of the book?
Alex
,I was currently reading in my english book, when I encountered a phrase that I admittedly understood, but it seemed to me that there's a grammatical error.
I'm going to show you a little excerpt that's about youth culture in the 20th century, just to give you some background:
And what the advertisers could not achieve, peer pressure did: it was your own friends who would laugh at you if you were not wearing the right clothes or listening to the right music.
Hasn't it to be either: it was your own friend who would laugh at you... or it were your own friends who would laugh at you... ?
To me the sentence doesn't make any sense, is this expression colloquial or must it be a mistake by the producers of the book?
Alex
Top answer
When "it" is used as the subject of a sentence/clause it's followed by a singular verb. (it was your own friend/friends)
- When "it" is used as the subject of a sentence/clause it's followed by a singular verb.
- (it was your own friend/friends)
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6 Answers
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When "it" is used as the subject of a sentence/clause it's followed by a singular verb. (it was your own friend/friends)
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I think I got it, with "friends" the circle of friends is meant. That would make sense. Other opinions?
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Alex-93I think I got it, with "friends" the circle of friends is meant. That would make sense. Other opinions?
No.
Please refer to my previous post.
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IvanhrNow I understood what you meant. It is followed by a singular verb, thanksAlex-93I think I got it, with "friends" the circle of friends is meant. That would make sense. Other opinions?No.
Please refer to my previous post.
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Alex-93Hasn't it to be either: it was your own friend who would laugh at you... or it were your own friends who would laugh at you... ?No. Not at all. See and follow the links.
CJ
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