'Is' or 'are'?

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AVim

#468908 Sat, 26 Jan 08 02:18 AM

"Reward or punishment [is/are] meted out quite independent of human interference."

The original sentence in the book uses 'are', I'm wondering if it's correct. IMO, we need to choose one from the 'Reward' or 'puninshment', so 'is' is prefered. Am I right?

AVim

Joined on Sat, Nov 4 2006

China

Junior Member (91)

Forgiving my poor English and correcting me unmercifully :)

Anonymous

#468915 Sat, 26 Jan 08 03:14 AM

You are correct. It's one or the other, making for a singular subject to use "is."

Anonymous

Avangi

#468924 Sat, 26 Jan 08 03:45 AM

I've been wondering about this too. - Looking forward to the official word. Perhaps Marius can give us a reference.

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,289)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Yoong Liat

#469038 Sat, 26 Jan 08 01:48 PM

AVim wrote:
"Reward or punishment [is/are] meted out quite independent of human interference." The original sentence in the book uses 'are', I'm wondering if it's correct. IMO, we need to choose one from the 'Reward' or 'puninshment', so 'is' is prefered. Am I right?

I think it's a typo.

Reward or punishment [is/are] meted out quite independent of human interference. (The verb should be 'is.)

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,011)

Yoong Liat

Verbs

Kooyeen

#469044 Sat, 26 Jan 08 01:55 PM

>>Reward or punishment [is/are]... <<

I think is is the only one that sounds fine in American English, but both should be ok in British English. We need some natives to find out whether this is true or not now.
Smile [:)]

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Senior Member (3,973)

If you don't have a sense of humor already, it's about time you buy one.

Yoong Liat

#469059 Sat, 26 Jan 08 03:03 PM

Kooyeen wrote:
>>Reward or punishment [is/are]... <<

I think is is the only one that sounds fine in American English, but both should be ok in British English. We need some natives to find out whether this is true or not now.

I'm not a native English speaker, but I would be surprised if 'are' could be used in that sentence.

Yoong Liat

American English, British English

AVim

#469163 Sat, 26 Jan 08 09:34 PM

Maybe there's one possibility which means we can choose 1) reward, 2) punishment, 3) both reward and punishment as the subject. So 'are' can be used.???

AVim

Avangi

#469275 Sun, 27 Jan 08 05:42 AM

I'm amused by the credit given to native speakers. We can say, "I've never heard such a thing," or "I'd say it this way," but that doesn't mean we know what's "correct."

For example, when I say, "Just between you and me, I think she's great," people from the next register are horrified. "NO, you mean "between you and I!" In other words, what we say and what sounds "right" to us are not necessarily "correct."

Concerning the present issue, whether a compound subject with "or" as a conjunction takes a singular or plural verb, I honestly have no idea. You can't solve questions of "what's accepted" by applying logic.

Avangi

Verbs, Plurals, Compound subjects

Hoa Thai

#469289 Sun, 27 Jan 08 06:17 AM

AVim wrote:
Maybe there's one possibility which means we can choose 1) reward, 2) punishment, 3) both reward and punishment as the subject. So 'are' can be used.???

Hi,

The or is not inclusive in the English language.

Using Google search, I found a small group of Chinese-language sites that uses the same construction you questioned. The majority of them that show the same passage you quoted are all related to a single English lesson, Lesson 35. My guess is that or is a typographical error.

Here is a site with the full text: http://www.24wj.com/englishfile/new_concept/disp_new_concept_4757.html, which might help others find a justification for such a seemingly incorrect usage.

Hoa Thai

Joined on Mon, Oct 15 2007

Vietnam

Contributing Member (1,100)

Best Regards - Hoa Thai

Constructions