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Wed 28 Jul, 2004 08:29 pm
i read a sentence in a book:
Among the questions that arise ARE whether we should measure rates in geological duration and periods or in generations.
here, is it legitimate to use ARE, or we should alter it with IS?
thank you.
It seems to me "among the questions..." is a prepositional phrase, so it doesn't matter that the word "questions" is plural; it's not the subject. The sentence is referring to a singular question (one out of many that arise) as the subject, and that question is:
"whether we should measure rates in geological duration and periods or in generations"
So we could rewrite this to simplify it. A lot.
Whether we should measure rates in geological duration and periods or in generations is among the questions that arise.
Does it make sense that the whole italic phrase is one subject, because it is the one question out of many that arise?
Agreed, Levi - one question therefore IS.
Welcome to a2k, by the way.
KP
yes, i think to use "IS " is acceptable. and it seems to be a typo in the book.
thankee Levi.
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