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molli72 · Joined: 19 Jan 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Hungary

Help!!! I can't decide... Which is correct?
My favourite film and book is 'Chocolate'
or
My favourite film and book are 'Chocolate'?
Thanks for your help!

2006 · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610

"are"
You are talking about two things.

buddhaheart · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject: is / are?

A good question on subject verb agreement. Don�t look @ the complement �Chocolate� but the subject when you decide what form the verb takes.

The subject �My favourite film and book� looks deceiving but in reality it�s �My favorite film and my favorite book�. The subject contains 2 items and hence takes the 3rd person plural form of the be verb �are� and not �is�. You might look at the complement and decide the verb should be singular. And that would be a grammatical mistake.

lotus · Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 862

Dear molli72,

All points are valid. But... my American-English ear says:

My favorite book and film is War and Peace.

My greatest sin and desire is lasagna.

The best night music and most revered sonata is "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/student/posting.php?mode=editpost&p=90450

The greatest innovation and waste of time is the computer.

It depends on how you look at it. The subject complement can be two things at once. If the thought is closely related or has correlative meaning, then I would use the singular.

--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda

buddhaheart · Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject:

The fundamental grammar rule is the verb must agree with the subject in # & person. The complement should not come into the picture. We�re taught subject-verb agreement not complement-verb agreement or object-verb agreement?!

Don�t we say:
�Fred & John are (NOT is) here.�
�Fire & water do (NOT does) not mix.�

When two or more subjects refer to the same thing or person, the verb would be singular:

�My friend & benefactor is (NOT are) here.�
�The orator & the poet is (NOT are) dead.�

Note in this case either the poss. pronoun or the article is used once ONLY.

Now, if the compound subject refers to a single idea, the verb may be in the singular:

�Bread & water is (NOT are) my only food.�
�Slow & steady wins (NOT win) the day.�

Some of Lotu�s examples expresses the 3rd idea and hence singular verbs are appropriate.

My favourite book and favourite film are 2 different things. There are 2 different subjects connected by �and� only. The may share the same complement �Chocolate� I believe �are� is more appropriate.

Would you say, �My wife and I is well�? No. Same complement but 2 different subjects?

Would you say, �My bottle of red wine and white wine is (vs are) fine?� I think not.

lotus · Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 862

Good points Buddhaheart,

We can agree to disagree.

I would argue that War and Peace is a single piece of work by Tolstoy. And that the film and book (original medium) are media used to express his work. And, as such, could be construed as not separate entities of the same work; but as different, but related medium(s) to express a singular work. In fact; even in film, it is called a narrative.

Therefore, I would say:

My favorite film and book is War and Peace.

not

My favorite film and book are War and Peace.

--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda

molli72 · Joined: 19 Jan 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Hungary

Uhhhh... If you, native speakers don't agree, what can I do???
What about this sentence:
The director and the writer of the film is X.Y.
Before the verb there are two things but "are" would sound so silly... Although, the logic is the same...

Lorikeet · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1877 Location: San Francisco

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

Why not rephrase the two sentences?
1. 'Chocolate' is my favourite film and book.
2. The writer of the film is Y, and the director is X. Smile

_________________
Mary W. Ng
Helping students learn grammar
http:www.aimpublishing.com

lotus · Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 862

molli72,

Don't take it the wrong way. Disagreement is good. It allows you to see different perspectives. It allows us to discuss English. The English language is not always cut and dry. If it were, we could learn it in 6 weeks and speak like natives.

You have to decide what is right for you. Now, you have more information than when you started. I like Mary's suggestion. When in doubt, think about the different ways you can re-phrase it. You'll learn more about the structure of Grammar.

--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda