Plz... help me out!

My question is grammar.
Is this sentence right?

What are good manners in one country are sometimes bad manners in another.

If the sentence above is not correct, how should it be changed?

Plz... help me.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by Lisa

My question is grammar.
Is this sentence right?
What are good manners in one country are sometimes bad manners in another.
If the sentence above is not correct, how should it be changed?
Plz... help me.

'Tis poifectly grammatical, Lisa.

[siruss]

I think the subject in the sentence is singular.

" What is good manners in one country is bad manners in another" is a correct sentence.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by siruss

I think the subject in the sentence is singular.

" What is good manners in one country is bad manners in another" is a correct sentence.

I disagree. The word "manners" is used as plural.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by siruss

I think the subject in the sentence is singular.

" What is good manners in one country is bad manners in another" is a correct sentence.

Yes, that's also correct, Siruss. It all depends on how the speaker views it.

Results 1 - 10 of about 87,600 English pages for "good manners are".

Results 1 - 10 of about 36,700 English pages for "good manners is".

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

Yes, that's also correct, Siruss. It all depends on how the speaker views it.

Results 1 - 10 of about 87,600 English pages for "good manners are".

Results 1 - 10 of about 36,700 English pages for "good manners is".

There are many of those pages in which "good manners" is a prepositional object or a verbal object.
The thing about good manners is....
A lack of good manners is....
Having good manners is....
A desire to have good manners is...

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

There are many of those pages in which "good manners" is a prepositional object or a verbal object.
The thing about good manners is....
A lack of good manners is....
Having good manners is....
A desire to have good manners is...

I'm prepared to so stipulate, Mike. But that doesn't remove the possibility of 'good manners' being viewed as a grouping, does it?

Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. [Jonathan Swift]

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by riverkid

I'm prepared to so stipulate, Mike. But that doesn't remove the possibility of 'good manners' being viewed as a grouping, does it?

Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. [Jonathan Swift]

No, I agree with you there. When seen as a body of etiquette, the singular use works.