Michael,
You are saying that you disagree with Strunk and White (quoted by Carol
below). Are there equivalent authorities you can cite? I am not saying
"authorities" are ipso facto right (for example, you can still find
textbooks that pronounce it ungrammatical to end a sentence with a
preposition), but in matters like this there is often an agreed upon
consensus.
Dick
________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Keith Pen
Ultimate Rare Books
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 11:30 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: a subject-verb-agreement question
Dick et al
Ask yourself why "his speech as well as his manners is objectionable"
doesn't sound right. In that sentence I suspect that "as well as his
manners" serves as a delayed, emphatic additional subject--something
akin to: also especially his manners!--and is therefore and thereby
plural. Remember, if the subject is plural, the verb should be as well.
Many subjects succeeded by "as well as" are intended indeed to be
singular. The subject/example you provided, in most contexts,
emphatically is NOT. Grammar, like language and concepts, is contextual
and objective.
Michael
-------------- Original message from "Veit, Richard"
<[log in to unmask]>: --------------
Thanks, Carol. That is most helpful. Is it is. I knew that
intellectually but wish it sounded right too. For example, change
"manner" to "manners" in the Strunk and White example and it doesn't
seem as clear cut: "His speech as well as his manners is objectionable."
Dick Veit
________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carol Morrison
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 4:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: a subject-verb-agreement question
According to Strunk and White in The Elements of Style, "[a] singular
subject remains singular even if other nouns are connected to it by
with, as well as, in addition to, except, together with, and no less
than (21). So I believe that your last example would take the verb "is".
Strunk and White give the following example: "His speech as well as his
manner is objectionable" (21).
I'm not sure if the comma between "society at large" and "as well as"
changes that in your sentence though.
--- On Sun, 6/15/08, Veit, Richard <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Veit, Richard <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: a subject-verb-agreement question
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sunday, June 15, 2008, 3:32 PM
A little help, please, with subject/verb agreement in a
sentence. These I have no trouble with:
* Good policy will come when society at large is educated
about HPV.
* Good policy will come when at-risk individuals are
educated about HPV.
* Good policy will come when society at large and at-risk
individuals are educated about HPV.
And pretty sure about this:
* Good policy will come when society at large (not just
at-risk individuals) is educated about HPV.
But what about this one?
* Good policy will come when society at large, as well as
at-risk individuals, is/are educated about HPV.
Do the commas make the second phrase an aside so that the verb
should agree with "society" only (i.e., "is")? Or do we treat "as well
as" as equivalent to "and," making "are" the right choice? I seek your
informed guidance on the matter. Any specific reference to authority is
especially welcome.
Dick
________________________________
Richard Veit
Department of English
University of North Carolina Wilmington
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