Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Chan-Seung Lee]

1. Which is correct and why?
1)Birds are animals that lay eggs and they have feathers on their body.
2)Birds are animals that lay eggs and they have feathers on their bodies.

2. Is the following sentence correct? If it's right, I'd like to know why?
*It was agreed that the company not raise its price.



Thanks.

[Mister Micawber]

1-- Both are acceptable because it is shared knowledge that each bird has only one body: there are no grounds for confusion. Concord would make 2-2 more agreeable, i.e. better style; it is also the usual choice.

2-- The sentence is correct. Mandative subjunctive is used in that-clauses introduced by verbs of demand, recommendation, resolution, etc, of which agree is one.
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_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
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Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's