What is

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I sometimes here people say this. Is this grammatically correct? If it is not correct, what's a better way of saying it?1. What is cool is my new car!2. What is cool? Is my new car!Thanks!

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

1. What is cool is my new car! This is OK.

Kosmo · Answer

The second example is using 'what is cool' in a different way to the first. Sentence No. 1 is an exclamative sentence which means it is making a statement but with the exclamation mark it becomes an emotional expression. In No. 2 you have created two sentences. The first is a question (interrogative sentence). The second sentence uses ellipsis (parts of the sentence have been left out). It is similar to the first in that it is making a statement and uses the exclamation mark to show emotion and therefore should be an exclamative sentence type. The two sentences do not flow. The second is not an appropriate response to the question because you are replaying with a sentence construction in the form of a question.

When you place the verb in front position you are turning the sentence into a question (interrogative sentence type). The exclamation mark should be replaced with a question mark. You would need to rephrase: "My new car!" You can get away with leaving words out (ellipsis) then.This is for speech. It is okay to do this when speaking.

Regards · Answer

Hi,

jack112What is cool is my new car!

Yes, it is grammatically correct.

What is cool is my new car. ~ The thing that is cool is my new car.

Consider this conversation:

A: Oh, this coupe is cool.

B: Nah. What is cool is my new car. You've got to see it.

Likewise,

What matters most is your health. ~ Your health is what matters most. ~ The thing that matters most is your health.

What made me laugh was the joke. ~ The joke was what made me laugh. ~ The thing that made me laugh was

the joke.

Regards

Jack112 · Answer

1. What is cool is my new car!
Do I have two verbs ('is') in this sentence and do I have two subjects? What is the subject and verb in this sentence? I can't seem to figure it out.

2. What is cool? My new car is cool.
I understand the subject and verb in this sentence. 'what' is the subject and 'is' is the verb. For the 2nd part, 'car' is the subject and 'is' is the verb.

Thanks!

CalifJim · Answer

jack112Do I have two verbs ('is') in this sentence and do I have two subjects?

You do.

What is cool has the subject what.
What is cool is my new car has the subject what is cool ~ the thing that is cool.

The longer subject contains another subject within it.

[ [ What ] is cool ] is my new car.

Compare:

[ [ What ] was funniest ] was the dog act at the end.
[ [ What ] is interesting ] is the placement of the artworks.
[ [ What ] is sad ] is that she died before she finished her novel.

CJ

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Your sentence: What is cool is my new car! has 2 clauses. The first clause "What is cool" has the subject "what" and the verb "is". This clause is a noun clause, the subject in the main clause.

Consider: X is my new car. "X" is the subject, and the verb is "is". The X in your sentence is "What is cool"
Noun clauses can also be a direct object.

I heard that your new car is cool.
The noun clause is "that your new car is cool." The subject is "car", and the verb is "is."

The main clause is:
I heard [it]. The subject is "I" and the verb is "heard"
The noun clause (above) is the direct object in the sentence: "I heard that your new car is cool. "

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