ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: equals to

Clive — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:19:07 GMT

Hi,
My friend told,

a) Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five. Your friend is telling you to say things in a very awkward way.
Say 'Twenty-eight, take away three, equals twenty-five'.
The meaning is 'Twenty-eight, when you take away three, equals twenty-five'.

"Take away three from twenty-eight" is a singular subject, <<< No. A subject needs to be something like a noun. This phrase is not like a noun.
so the verb "equals" is correct. What do you think? It's correct as my friend say? "singular subject"?

Clive

Re: equals to

Vincent Teo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:08:59 GMT

Hi,

My friend told,

a) Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

"Take away three from twenty-eight" is a singular subject, so the verb "equals" is correct. What do you think? It's correct as my friend say? "singular subject"?

Re: equals to

Clive — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:37:55 GMT

Hi Vincent,
How do I explain this sentence is incorrect to my teacher? Is my last comment not adequate for your needs?
We can't use "equals" instead of "is". Why not? I just said that 'is' is more common.
HOw do I explain? I need to tell them the reasons.

Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

Clive

Re: equals to

Vincent Teo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:17:19 GMT

How do I explain this sentence is incorrect to my teacher?
We can't use "equals" instead of "is". HOw do I explain? I need to tell them the reasons.

Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

Re: equals to

Clive — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:05:33 GMT

Hi,
a) Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

(b) Take away three from twenty-eight is equal to twenty-five.

These are incorrect because of the phrase 'take away three'. You need a noun of some kind.

To form correct grammar, you'd need to say
a) Three taken away from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.
(b) Three taken away from twenty-eight is equal to twenty-five.

Clive

Re: equals to

Vincent Teo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:07:25 GMT

Both sentences are incorrect?

But, you tell me:

'Is' is more common than 'equals' in this kind of sentence.

Re: equals to

Clive — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:59:31 GMT

Hi,
No, incorrect.

Clive

Re: equals to

Vincent Teo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:58:29 GMT

Dear Clive,

Do you mean my both sentences are considered correct?

Re: equals to

Clive — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:59:57 GMT

Hi again Vincent,

(a) Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

(b) Take away three from twenty-eight is equal to twenty-five.

'Is' is more common than 'equals' in this kind of sentence.

Here are common ways to say the above.

28, take away 3, is 25.
28 less 3 is 25.
3 subtracted from 28 is 25.

Clive

Re: equals to

Vincent Teo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:48:16 GMT

I got questions. Why are they incorrect?

As like above, (a) and (b) Is correct, right?

Clive, can you tell me:

(a) Take away three from twenty-eight equals twenty-five.

(b) Take away three from twenty-eight is equal to twenty-five.

Thanks, Clive.

Re: equals to

Clive — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:21:00 GMT

Hi,

Can I write:

(a) Two plus two equals four. Yes

(b) Two plus two is equal to four. Yes

(c) Two plus two equals to four.No.

More common, I think is 'Two and two is four'.You can also say 'Two and two are four'.

Clive

equals to

Vincent Teo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:11:54 GMT

Can I write:

(a) Two plus two equals four.

(b) Two plus two is equal to four.

(c) Two plus two equals to four.