Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

wwg139580 · Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 44

Hello.

"No running races or horse riding ______ included in Winter Olympics."

Should I use " is " or " are " to fill in the blank? Can you tell me why?

Thank you.

myprofe · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:11 am Post subject:

I would only use are in this sentence. Perhaps because races is plural and it is the first thing mentioned. Also because we are referring to the two things mentioned together and not individually.

How about this:

Three girls and one boy have passed the exam.

Three cars and a bus were involved in the accident.

All parts and labour are included in the bill.
_________________
I'm never going to learn if you don't correct my mistakes!

wwg139580 · Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 44

thank you. Myprofe.
But I learned from a grammar book that if the subject is two parts links together by "or". the verb form should be consistent with the nearer one.
so I wonder, in the above sentence, if " is" should be used to be consistent with the nearer subject " horse riding".

myprofe · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:42 am Post subject: another doubt

Mary W. Ng · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 261

wwg139580 · Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 44

So I am really puzzled. In fact I have read the sentence " No running races or horse riding are included in Winter Olympic Games" in a text book, but I have also read this sentence " No running races or horse riding was included". I don't know if these two are both correct.

Anuradha Chepur · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 933

As per the rule, when two subjects connected by 'or' are different in number, the plural subject should be written last and the verb agrees with the plural subject.

So the sentence should actually be:

No horse riding or running races are included in Winter Olympics.

Mary W. Ng · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 261

2006 · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610

The sentence in question is not a good one. For one thing, what does "running races" mean?
Does it mean horse racing or 'people racing', or something else? If it means 'horse racing', it should say so.

Even with "running races", whatever that means, the subject most likely is "running", not "races", thus singular. (As in, Eating cookies is not allowed. No running or riding is included.)

Applying grammar rules to an awkward and unclear sentence is largely a waste of time.

If I was forced to choose, I would choose 'is' but I don't plan to spend a lot of time defending that choice because it is a bad sentence.

pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

I think running is an adjective modifying races, and I agree with Dr, Chapur that you use are.
The sentence means running races (foot races) as opposed to skiing races or bobsled races, or whatever else they do in the winter olympics,

Anuradha Chepur · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 933

Rule no. 4 in this link:

http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.asp

asterix · Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Posts: 1654

I don't think it is necessary to always put the plural noun last though.

Mary W. Ng · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 261