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Thread: Which words in bold should I use?

  1. #1
    Tan Elaine is offline Key Member
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    Default Which words in bold should I use?

    Food and/or drinks purchased outside these premises is/are not allowed.

    Which word in each case should I use?

    Thanks.

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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    AND/ ARE

    Regards.
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    allenman is offline Member
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Actually OR/IS is just as acceptable.

    Not a teacher - AmE native

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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    I wouldn't use "is" in that sentence.
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    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    I wouldn't use is after drinks either. It would work fine with food and drink for me.
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Quote Originally Posted by bhaisahab View Post
    I wouldn't use "is" in that sentence.
    Thanks, Bhaisahab.

    Food and/or drinks purchased outside these premises are not allowed.

    What about 'and' and 'or', which word would you use?

  7. #7
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Or and are.

    If you say "food and drinks" then logically one could argue that the prohibition does not apply to just food or just a drink.
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  8. #8
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Quote Originally Posted by SoothingDave View Post
    Or and are.

    If you say "food and drinks" then logically one could argue that the prohibition does not apply to just food or just a drink.
    You'd have to be a smart alec to make that argument though.
    If you say "food or drinks", you could take food in, and argue that, given the choice, you chose to interpret it as being drinks that were not allowed.
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    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Raymott View Post
    You'd have to be a smart alec to make that argument though.
    If you say "food or drinks", you could take food in, and argue that, given the choice, you chose to interpret it as being drinks that were not allowed.
    Guilty as charged!

    I do work with Boolean logic, so the way I read an "or" or an "and" may not be the same way a "normal" person would.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Which words in bold should I use?

    Quote Originally Posted by bhaisahab View Post
    I wouldn't use "is" in that sentence.
    I agree.
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