It seems to me that there is a major irony in this thread. In the first place, I have to agree with those who said that both the singular and the plural versions are correct -- everything depends on the meaning. Are "learning" and "assimilating" considered as one thing, or as two? If the writer considered them as basically identical, then the writer should have used the singular: "Learning and assimilating new information is always easier when the information is presented in a familiar pattern." On the other hand, some of us see "learning" and "assimilating" as distinct. Students can learn the definitions that many of the members of this list give them, but that does not mean that the students necessarily "assimilate" them (if we are using that term as Piaget would have). Had I written the sentence, I would have used "are." Ed V. Carolyn Kinslow wrote: > My thanks to all who responded to my request for help. My camp was > obviously correct in contending that the verbal phrase called for a > singular verb. I appreciate the confirmation. > Carolyn > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/