( is ) or ( are ) Chinese ?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Stunz1

I'd say:
Two thirds of the biscuits have been eaten.
But:
Two thirds of the cake has been eaten.

To me it seems to depend on whether the "two thirds" is countable or not.

I agree.

:D

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Stunz1

I'd say:

Two thirds of the biscuits have been eaten.

But:

Two thirds of the cake has been eaten.

To me it seems to depend on whether the "two thirds" is countable or not.

But, biscuits and cakes are countable.

Notice that "biscuits" is plural (it has -s), so it takes a plural verb, 'have'; "cake" is singular (it doesn't have -s), so it takes a singular verb, 'is.

:D

[Tdol]

If you're on a diet, you might say that two-thirds of the biscuit has been eaten.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by tdol

If you're on a diet, you might say that two-thirds of the biscuit has been eaten.

:D cute :D
________
biscuit has
biscuits have
The biscuit's two-thirds has been eaten. :wink:

[Tdol]

Not that cute to the poor dieter struggling to put the remaining third aside for later on.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

But, biscuits and cakes are countable.

Notice that "biscuits" is plural (it has -s), so it takes a plural verb, 'have'; "cake" is singular (it doesn't have -s), so it takes a singular verb, 'is.

:D

That is certainly true. What I thought he meant was that since you can't say three cake that you say a third of the cake has been eaten or a third of the cakes have been eaten.

Hm. You are right, of course.

:)

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

But, biscuits and cakes are countable.

:D

Can't cake be both countable and uncountable:
There aren't many cakes left.
There wasn't much cake left.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by tdol

Can't cake be both countable and uncountable:
There aren't many cakes left.
There wasn't much cake left.

Absolutely.

:wink: