Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[ivogel]

[2006]

Which do you think is the correct answer? What is the subject that the verb should agree with?

[ivogel]

[2006]

I agree that the subject is waste and that "is" is correct.

[CP]

I think "tons ... are produced" is correct. The prepositional phrase (in this case, "of domestic waste") is usually not the subject of the verb, but merely modifies the subject, or so I was taught in school.

If you change the words a little, it becomes clear:

16 feet of plastic wrap are needed :: 16 feet are needed
one foot of plastic wrap is needed :: one foot is needed
one ounce of beans was used :: one ounce was used
12 pounds of beans were used :: 12 pounds were used
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[2006]

It's a tough question and maybe you are right. But maybe "waste" is the subject and "16 tons" modifies "waste".
How much waste is produced? Sixteen tons of waste is produced.

That's a lot of waste. How many tons are produced each year? Sixteen tons are produced each year?

Another thing is that "16 tons" is 'an amount', and at least in some cases, 'an amount' is singular. Do you agree that '10 dollars is a lot of money.' is correct?

I would say '(An)(One) ounce of beans were used.'

Thanks for the challenge. Maybe I will have to ask my grammar expert.

[CP]

Well, really we ought to ask Mary Ng or Dr. Chepur or Mr. Micawber for their opinions. They know grammar, and I know what Mrs. Finkenbinder taught me.

Mrs. Finkenbinder would say that you have to ignore what is in the prepositional phrase. Just replace the noun in the prepositional phrase with a blank or an X, and suddenly the choice is clear:

one ounce of X is enough to . . . .
[one ounce of pickles / one ounce of sand]
four packs of X are needed . . . .
a ton of X was used . . . .
three buckets of X were found . . . .
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[ivogel]

Well, it is difficult for me to understand English Grammar. So, I found the word "percent" in MSN Dictionary website. The usages of the "percent" are as follows:

If percent stands alone without a subsequent prepositional phrase, you can use a singular or a plural verb with it: Sixty percent is accounted for;Sixty percent are accounted for. If a prepositional phrase following percent contains a noun or pronoun object regarded as a unit or a whole, use a singular verb: Sixty percent of the electorate is accounted for. If the object of the preposition in such a phrase is regarded as a number of people or things, use a plural verb: Sixty percent of the votes are accounted for.

I wonder what are the differences "16 tons of A" between "percent rules"? Can be applicable to "percent rules" in my first questions?

Thank you.