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| Thread ID: 91934 | 2008-07-23 07:23:00 | 'Is' or 'Are'??? | jwil1 (65) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 691361 | 2008-07-23 07:23:00 | Can someone please enlighten me on this... Friend has asked me whether this statement is grammatically correct: "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages is blank." (from NCEA exam paper) She seems to think that 'is blank' should be 'are blank'. Which one do you think is more grammatically correct? "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages is blank." "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages are blank." I think NZQA have got it wrong - should be 'Are blank'. |
jwil1 (65) | ||
| 691362 | 2008-07-23 07:24:00 | Personally I would use both, I think they are both right | gary67 (56) | ||
| 691363 | 2008-07-23 07:34:00 | I think "are blank" sounds better. However, I am not known for my grammatical excellence so take that with a grain of salt. :D |
Jen (38) | ||
| 691364 | 2008-07-23 07:40:00 | are blank does flow / sound better, but these or those? gets me . "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages is blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of those pages is blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages are blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of those pages are blank . " the is still doesnt sound right . . . . is this actually a markable question or just instructions in an exam? beetle ? |
beetle (243) | ||
| 691365 | 2008-07-23 07:41:00 | Is 'none' a contraction of 'not one' in which case 'is' is correct. :2cents: | Richard (739) | ||
| 691366 | 2008-07-23 07:41:00 | are blank does flow / sound better, but these or those? gets me . "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages is blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of those pages is blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of these pages are blank . " "Please check that this booklet contains the pages X to Y and that none of those pages are blank . " the is still doesnt sound right . . . . is this actually a markable question or just instructions in an exam? beetle ? Are but then it becomes that none of the pages are blank |
gary67 (56) | ||
| 691367 | 2008-07-23 07:53:00 | Are is correct, because we're talking about a plural / set of multiple singular items. Is should only be used when referring to one item. | Erayd (23) | ||
| 691368 | 2008-07-23 08:50:00 | Given that "none" is a contraction of "not one", It seems that "is" would be more grammatically apt . But if it sounds wrong to you, don't use it . :rolleyes: Either one conveys the same meaning, rules are for the blind obed . . . . (but since it is NCEA, use "r" and get credits for txt sp33k) |
R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 691369 | 2008-07-23 09:01:00 | Gary is right. My Oxford informs me that both 'is and are' is or are correct depending on the sense of the statement. That means that neither 'is nor are' is nor are incorrect in the statement that 'none of these pages is or are blank'. Got it? :D :D | Richard (739) | ||
| 691370 | 2008-07-23 09:05:00 | Given that "none" is a contraction of "not one", It seems that "is" would be more grammatically apt. But "none" can be singular or plural www.worldwidewords.org |
PaulD (232) | ||
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