Anonymous  +  414436 Wed, 05 Sep 07 10:07 AM Hi, I don't remember what rule this is called but I rememembered my English teacher taught me some rule that goes like this: Boy and girls ARE ... Boys and girl IS ... My question is : -What's the name of this rule? -All you boys and girls IS/ARE? Thank you! Dennis Anonymous

	Mister Micawber  +  414509 Wed, 05 Sep 07 01:33 PM The 'rule' is that the verb agrees in number with the proximal (nearest) noun of the compound subject.  But it doesn't work with 'and'-- it works with 'or': A boy or three girls are meeting me at the station. Three girls or a boy is meeting me at the station. But: Three girls and a boy are meeting me at the station. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,825 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Verbs, Nouns, Compound Subjects