Grammar...........

[Stu]

This is a message from our General Manager who swears it's correct.
I have been quite impressed by the standard of handling generally, although the grammar and language of some outgoing letters are not good enough.
Surely it should be IS not good enough, though i would have changed the sentence to :
the grammar and language are not good enough on some outgoing letters.....
Any advice ??
THANKS.

[rhapsomatrics]

This is a message from our General Manager who swears it's correct.
I have been quite impressed by the standard of handling generally, although the grammar and language of some outgoing letters are not good enough.
Surely it should be IS not good enough, though i would have changed the sentence to :
the grammar and language are not good enough on some outgoing letters.....
Any advice ??
THANKS.

To start with,I think the word 'standard" is supposed to function principally as an adjective..."standard tennis court"...if it must function as a "noun"(just as your GM wanted"),I think it must take an "s"..."I have been quite impressed by the handling standards....standards of handling...
Similarly,the additive conjuction "and" takes a plural verb if the things being added are infact different...they could be supplementary,alternating but certainly not complementary or composite...eg(1) England and Norway are sworn enemies...(2)The president and his wife have a son...
In (1) above,England is a distict nation(sovereign)as much as Norway...either can stand independent...same goes for (2) above.However,where the subjects need each other to either exist or survive,a singular verb would be most appropriate...eg "bread and butter is good for breakfast"...they must go together...the same goes for "grammar and language"...so I agree with you on that!