Korean Job Discussion Forums

richardlang · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Location: Gangnam

1. "The appearance and taste of french food are unique."

Appearance and taste are both abstract nouns, yes? Shouldn't the subject be singular, and therefore we should use 'is' instead of 'are'. I found this sentence on the internet.

poet13 · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject:

I'm no whiz at this stuff, but I think you answered it yourself with, "Appearance and taste are both...".

bacasper · Joined: 26 Mar 2007

How would the fact that they are abstract make them singular? The subject is plural, and the sentence is correct.

KoreanAmbition · Joined: 03 Feb 2008

Poet,

Wouldn't the preceding "THE" create a difference?

In line with your answer, if you put "the" back into the sentence as per the original, it wouldn't sound right.

"The appearance and taste are both nouns, yes?"

However, I believe your answer was correct nonetheless. Smile

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

poet13 · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject:

"Poet,
Wouldn't the preceding "THE" create a difference?
In line with your answer, if you put "the" back into the sentence as per the original, it wouldn't sound right.
"The appearance and taste are both nouns, yes?"
However, I believe your answer was correct nonetheless. "
Laughing

Like I said, I've no whiz. I can look at most things English and see that it's right or wrong, but often I can't properly explain why. Oops, I just outed myself. Damn! I'm a fraud.

richardlang · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Location: Gangnam

"As we develop, so does the complexity and intimacy of our relationship."

How can we break this sentence down, too??? It's a correct sentence, I know. But help me out, again -- please.

winterwawa · Joined: 06 May 2007

The appearance and taste of french food are unique.

The appearance of french food is unique.
The taste of french food is unique.

Two simple sentences joined using a cordinating conjunction "and". The parts that are being cordinated are appearance and taste. Therefore the subject, as previously pointed out, is a compound subject. The sentence structure is SSV (Subject + Subject + Verb), and requires a plural verb.

The appearance is + The taste is = The appearance and taste are.

richardlang · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Location: Gangnam

Thank you everyone.

How can we understand the second sentence in comparison to the french food sentence.

kiwiana · Joined: 29 Nov 2007

The two sentences the OP has posted seem a little to different to compare to me.

I was interested in the answer to the first post and found this online relating to compound subjects,

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/english/data/d0081795.html

It states that,

"But when the two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the verb is singular: My flatmate, and fellow team member, has broken his leg"

So, my question is, how does the sentence above relate to the original post? Don't "appearance" and "taste" refer to the same thing, ie, French food. If these two sentences do directly relate then wouldn't the OPs post use "is" instead of "are"?

Ut videam · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

The example you cite doesn't apply to this situation. Appearance and taste are two separate and very distinct qualities, not two ways of referring to the same thing.

jkelly80 · Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Location: you boys like mexico?

jkelly80 · Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Location: you boys like mexico?

Here's what wikipedia sez:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptical_construction

kiwiana · Joined: 29 Nov 2007

OK, now it makes sense, thanks UT Videam

bacasper · Joined: 26 Mar 2007