living and working abroad are popular ( is popular?)

[angelene001]

I've got a problem with the sentence above.
Which version is correct?
1. Living and working abroad are popular.
(living= one thing, working=one thing, together they give two thigns, so "are")
2. Living and working abroad is very popular.
(living and working=as a one thing, so "is")

[5jj]

There's no problem. Both are possible.

[Tdol]

As the two go together, I would be more likely to use the singular, though both are possible- you can live abroad without working, but it's harder to work abroad without living there.

[bhaisahab]

"... but it's harder to work abroad without living there."

But not impossible.

[angelene001]

As the two go together, I would be more likely to use the singular, though both are possible- you can live abroad without working, but it's harder to work abroad without living there.

I understand.
I'm wondering, though, if a teacher has a right to mark "are" as an error. Or maybe they can only suggest that "is" would be better.
I'm supposed to write an essay about 'living and working abroad'.

[5jj]

I'm wondering, though, if a teacher has a right to mark "are" as an error.

Teachers should not mark it wrong. It's perfectly acceptable in most contexts.