![]() |
#1 |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,230
Karma: 7145404
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Southern California
Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+
|
Is or are?
I usually put my own two cents into answering grammar questions here but I'm curious about an example I stumbled over. Does this have a regional basis, is the text incorrect, or am I incorrect?
Here is the sentence which has me scratching my head -- "A good example are labels, a type of meta-data you can use to assign a colour to a piece of your draft." I noticed this in section 2.1 of the user manual of the Windows version of Scrivener. I am thinking "are" in that sentence refers to the singular word "example" and therefore should be "is." I know the author is from the U.K., as if "colour" wasn't enough of a hint. Is there some U.K. usage that is different from how I understand this grammar? TIA |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 | |
Fanatic
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 595
Karma: 456534
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Device: PocketBook 360° , iPhone 5, PRS-650, Sony PRS-T2, Sony PRS-T3, Tolino
|
Quote:
But hopefully somebody with more knowledge about grammar will be around soon and can explain. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 20
Karma: 62828
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: Kindle Touch
|
Since the subject and object are being identified through use of the copular verb "to be", the two of them should agree in number. They do not, which is what makes this sentence sound awkward.
Examples of proper ways to rewrite the sentence: "Good examples are labels, ..." "A good example is a label, ..." You could, of course, also reconstruct the sentence in other ways to avoid the problem. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Zealot
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 146
Karma: 7462052
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Dublin
Device: My phone
|
"A good example is" is correct, regardless of what comes after. The verb should agree with the noun.
If you turn the sentence around, so that it reads "Labels are a good example", then the verb has to agree with labels, which are plural. It's one of those sentences where the correct version sounds odd, so it's often used incorrectly. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,230
Karma: 7145404
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Southern California
Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+
|
That's what I figured. Glad I'm not just going crazy.
Lila and Efindel, I agree the sentence is awkwardly constructed but it isn't mine to rearrange. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 20
Karma: 62828
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: Kindle Touch
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,413
Karma: 13369310
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet
|
No, it's got nothing to do with U.K. usage. I'm English born though I live in Australia, and that sentence immediately looked wrong to me.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 | |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,418
Karma: 35207650
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: iPad
|
Quote:
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |