Clause problem

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Anonymous

#425162 Sat, 29 Sep 07 03:08 PM

Hi,

The following is a phrase from a phrase website. Would I be correct, though, that 'constitute' should read 'constitutes'
because the commas that separate 'and to feel'? Indeed if there were no commas, would 'constitute' be acceptable?

Thanks

'To think, and to feel, constitute the two grand divisions of men of genius - the men of reasoning and the men of imagination.'

Anonymous

Clauses, Commas

Grammar Geek

#425189 Sat, 29 Sep 07 04:43 PM

The writer exlicitly states he/she is talking about two things afterwards, so the "and to feel" is not an afterthought or a "not really included subject" subject element. I think these commas are given as guidance on how to read this passage outloud, with a longer than usual pause represented by the commas. (However, I would replace that hyphen-serving-as-dash with a colon, and giving the importance of the second part of the passage, I would have left the commas out.)

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,645)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Clauses, Colons, Commas, Hyphens

Yoong Liat

#425190 Sat, 29 Sep 07 04:44 PM

Anonymous wrote:
Hi,

The following is a phrase from a phrase website. Would I be correct, though, that 'constitute' should read 'constitutes'
because the commas that separate 'and to feel'? Indeed if there were no commas, would 'constitute' be acceptable?

Thanks

'To think, and to feel, constitute the two grand divisions of men of genius - the men of reasoning and the men of imagination.'

I would say 'constitute' is the correct verb.

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,149)

Yoong Liat

Verbs, Clauses, Commas