These are a cat and a dog... ummm

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Kooyeen

#341054 Mon, 19 Mar 07 11:19 PM

Hi,
sorry for the silly question, I don't know why but I got confused...
I know you say "There is a cat and a dog" and not "there are a cat and a dog"... but what happens with "this/these" and "that/those"?

These are a nuclear bomb and a laser gun. Or what else? This is a...?
Those are my sister and my aunt. Or "that is my sister and..."?

It must be a stupid question, but the more I think about this, the more I'm Tongue Tied [:S]

Thanks.

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Senior Member (3,798)

Parental Advisory - Explicit Posts

Yoong Liat

#341185 Tue, 20 Mar 07 05:48 AM

Kooyeen wrote:
Hi,
sorry for the silly question, I don't know why but I got confused...
I know you say "There is a cat and a dog" and not "there are a cat and a dog"...

There is a cat and a dog. (BrE)

There is / are a cat and a dog. (In AmE, both are acceptable.)

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (5,836)

Yoong Liat

Kooyeen

#341358 Tue, 20 Mar 07 03:47 PM

Yoong Liat wrote:
There is / are a cat and a dog. (In AmE, both are acceptable.)

Hi Yoong,
I didn't know that, where did you find out it? I always thought "are" didn't sound very good. Maybe it's ok but it's not used much?
Anyway, the question was about "this/these/that/those"... so:

These are my sister and my mom, or - This is my sister and my mom?
Those are a hammer and some nails, or - That's an hammer and some nails?

After a brief search on the net it seems the singular should be used, not the plural, but I'd like some opinions on this...
Thanks Smile [:)]

Kooyeen

Plurals

Yoong Liat

#341375 Tue, 20 Mar 07 04:18 PM

Kooyeen wrote:
Yoong Liat wrote:

Yoong Liat wrote:

There is / are a cat and a dog. (In AmE, both are acceptable.)
Hi Yoong,
I didn't know that, where did you find out it? I always thought "are" didn't sound very good. Maybe it's ok but it's not used much?

Hi Kooyeen

'The Right Word at the Right Time' states as follows:

There is an apple and pears for dessert.

There are apples and a pear for dessert.

The above is BrE.

'Merriam-Webster 'Guide to English Usage' states as follows:

When a compound subject follows the verb and the first element is singular, the verb may be either singular or plural.

There is a lake and several small streams.

There are a dog and a few cats in the house.

The singular construction is more common. Still, some writers insist on formal agreement and use a plural verb: There were an apartment house and a parking lot at the end of the block. \u003c/strong\>\n \u003c/font\>\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>I would appreciate it very much if you could publish this in your column so that Yi Ren and the other readers of your column will learn the difference between British and American English usage in regard to a sentence which starts with "There is".\n\u003c/font\>\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>Best regards\u003c/font\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); D(["mb","\u003cspan class\u003dsg\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"1\"\>Koh\u003c/font\>\u003c/div\>\n\u003c/span\>",0] ); D(["ce"]); //-->

Yoong Liat

Regards, American English, Verbs, Plurals, Difference between, Constructions, Compound subjects

Kooyeen

#341479 Tue, 20 Mar 07 11:35 PM

Ah, I see, thanks Yoong.
I also see "...the singular construction is more common...", so that's why it sounds better to me.

Now the original question was about "This/this/that/those", and it seems a singular construction is used in those cases too, but I'm not completely sure.
Smile [:)]

Kooyeen

Constructions

Yoong Liat

#341700 Wed, 21 Mar 07 01:53 PM

Hi Kooyeen

These are a nuclear bomb and a laser gun.
Those are my sister and my aunt.

The above sentences are correct because they don't start with "There".

Yoong Liat

CalifJim

#341784 Wed, 21 Mar 07 08:44 PM

These are a nuclear bomb and a laser gun.
Those are my sister and my aunt.

No. They may be technically correct but they sound ugly to my ear. Smile [:)]

Instead, I'd use:

These [things / weapons] are a nuclear bomb and a laser gun.
Those [people / women] are my sister and my aunt.

This is a nuclear bomb and a laser gun.
That is my sister and my aunt.

These are nuclear bombs. (of course)
Those are my sisters. (of course)

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (16,481)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Yoong Liat

#341886 Thu, 22 Mar 07 03:41 AM

Hi CJ

This is a nuclear bomb and a laser gun.
That is my sister and my aunt.

IMHO, the above sentences are incorrect because 'is' is used in connection with two things/people.

Yoong Liat

CalifJim

#341934 Thu, 22 Mar 07 05:43 AM

Yes. From information you gave in your previous posts, this opinion of yours was completely predictable. We knew that! You are probably correct; I know of nothing that amounts to evidence against your view. Nevertheless, I must say that they sound awful! I would avoid having to write or say such things by rephrasing.

CJ

CalifJim

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