Forum newsfeeds 
|  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
11-Jul-2007, 05:25
| | Member | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Country: China
Posts: 388
Current Location: USA First Language: Chinese Member Type: Other Thanks: 29
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
| |  singular or plural?
Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carries (or carry ) attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only presents (or present) facts.
Editorials are plural. But if we use "former" to stand for "editorials", should we use "carries" or "carry"? Thanks. |
11-Jul-2007, 05:34
|  | Key Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Country: Philippines
Posts: 3,291
Current Location: Manila First Language: Filipino Member Type: Other Thanks: 17
Thanked 34 Times in 31 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ian2  Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carries (or carry ) attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only presents (or present) facts.
Editorials are plural. But if we use "former" to stand for "editorials", should we use "carries" or "carry"? Thanks. |
I would say: carries(editorial) and present(fact based texts)
[just an avid English learner} |
11-Jul-2007, 06:31
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: May 2007 Country: Hong Kong
Posts: 599
Current Location: Hong Kong First Language: Chinese Member Type: Other Thanks: 7
Thanked 43 Times in 43 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Disclaimer: I am not a teacher.
Blouen,  allow me to say otherwise. Quote:
Originally Posted by ian2 Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carry attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only present facts. | |
11-Jul-2007, 22:05
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Country: UK
Posts: 15,173
Current Location: UK First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 3
Thanked 3,071 Times in 2,895 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carries (or carry ) attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only presents (or present) facts.
the former [group] = singular
the latter [group] = singular
I would go for "carry" and "present".
|
11-Jul-2007, 22:30
| | Member | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Country: China
Posts: 388
Current Location: USA First Language: Chinese Member Type: Other Thanks: 29
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anglika Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carries (or carry ) attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only presents (or present) facts.
the former [group] = singular
the latter [group] = singular
I would go for "carry" and "present".
| Logically I would go for "carry" and "present" too. But the problem I have is that when we use "former" and "latter", we are talking about a choice between two, that is, is it A or B? You are tempted to treat "the former" as singular. So we are supposed to say:
The Old Man and the Sea and The Tale of Two Cities are two books. The former is... and the latter is.... But
The teachers and the students were very tired. The former were... and the latter were...? Thanks again. |
11-Jul-2007, 23:00
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Country: UK
Posts: 15,173
Current Location: UK First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 3
Thanked 3,071 Times in 2,895 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ian2 Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carries (or carry ) attitude and opinions of the writer whereas the latter only presents (or present) facts.
Editorials are plural. But if we use "former" to stand for "editorials", should we use "carries" or "carry"? Thanks. | I am so sorry. I've had a long day today! 
Of course it should be carry and present. |
12-Jul-2007, 00:12
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 13,535
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 73
Thanked 901 Times in 806 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ian2 Editorials are different from fact-based texts in that the former carry attitudes and opinions of the writer whereas the latter present facts.
| "Editorials" is plural, and "fact-based texts" is plural.
~R |
12-Jul-2007, 00:15
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Country: Philippines
Posts: 3,291
Current Location: Manila First Language: Filipino Member Type: Other Thanks: 17
Thanked 34 Times in 31 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBee "Editorials" is plural, and "fact-based texts" is plural.
~R | Yes!
Sorry I was wrong up there, I see it's "editorials" but when I wrote it I typed "Editorial" only and based my answer there. |
12-Jul-2007, 00:34
| | Key Member | | Join Date: May 2005 Country: USA
Posts: 1,860
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: English Teacher Thanks: 0
Thanked 77 Times in 69 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
I hate to disagree, but I'd write it so that the verbs agree with the subjects in the clauses they are in: the former carries and the latter presents.
I have no reason to think that the plural forms are wrong, I just like the sound of it better this way. Sometimes, in English, that's good enough. |
12-Jul-2007, 00:39
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 13,535
Current Location: North Carolina First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 73
Thanked 901 Times in 806 Posts
| | Re: singular or plural?
 Mykwyner is right. The subjects are former and latter and the verbs should be carries and presents. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 16:29. | |
