The sum of two plus two is four.

 

Native speakers say, two plus two is four. ESL speakers say, two plus two are four.

 

.brad.15jun08.


--- On Mon, 6/16/08, Paul E. Doniger <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

And yet, all through elementary school, we were hammered with reminders that "two plus two are (not is) four."

 

Paul D.


----- Original Message ----
From: Carol Morrison <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 2:24:15 PM
Subject: Re: a subject-verb-agreement question

This is from The Writer's Digest Grammar Desk Reference by Gary Lutz & Diane Stevenson:

"Do not confuse the prepositions plus, in addition to, along with, and as well as with the coordinating conjunction and. And is the only word that can unite two or more nouns or pronouns to form a compound-additive subject. The nounal or pronominal contents of a prepositional phrase beginning with plus, in addition to, along with, or as well as have no influence on the singularity or plurality of the verb of the clause, and any such prepositional phrase is almost always set off with commas at both ends" (86).


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/