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09-Dec-2006, 23:46
| | Member | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Country: Japan
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| |  Half
I am a little bit confused at "half", the singular or the plural.
Would you help me understand whether or not the following
sentence is true?
1. One and a half years have passed since we last saw. (true or false?)
2. One year and a half has passed since we last saw.
(true or false?)
3. Two years and a half has passed since we last saw.
(true or false?)
4. Two and a half years have passed since we last saw. (true or false?)
Thank you. |
10-Dec-2006, 00:13
| | Key Member | | Join Date: May 2005 Country: USA
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| | Re: Half
1. have 2. either sounds OK to me, but have sounds better 3. have 4. have |
10-Dec-2006, 14:24
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| | Re: Half
The only one I disagree with is number 3, which I think should be "Two years and a half have passed ...."
~R |
11-Dec-2006, 02:41
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| | Re: Half
mykwyner
Ronbee
Thank youn for your reply, so can I understand the followings?
1. OK
2. OK (the singular :has , but "have" sounds better)
3. False ( it should be "have")
4. OK
Tks |
11-Dec-2006, 04:33
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
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| | Re: Half
Yes, you can.  |
11-Dec-2006, 04:45
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| | Re: Half
I agree with Tdol, but "One year and a half has passed...." sounds perfectly fine to me. (BTW, every one of those sentences needs an object.)
~R |
11-Dec-2006, 04:46
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| | Re: Half
tdol
It's been a while, how are you?
Thank you for your reply! |
11-Dec-2006, 07:05
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
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| | Re: Half
I'm fine, and you? There are differences between Ae and BrE with singular/plural issues and I think the tendency in BrE is to make 11/2 plural. |
11-Dec-2006, 13:21
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| | Re: Half
tdol
I'm fine, too. Thank you.
But I'm sorry I can't understand the phrase for "Ae" , "BrE" and "make 11/2 plural". Would you please explain that? |
11-Dec-2006, 13:31
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| | Re: Half
Quote:
Originally Posted by YOSHITAKEHORI  tdol
I'm fine, too. Thank you.
But I'm sorry I can't understand the phrase for "Ae" , "BrE" and "make 11/2 plural". Would you please explain that? | Ae - American English
BrE - British English
11/2 - 1½
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