gray and white car

ostap77 · Mar 18, 2011

"A gray and white car is parked outside the hotel." That's what I wrote but was told that it's incorrect to talk about a single car since it means two different cars parked outside the hotel not a car with two colors and that it takes the plural of "to be". I would appreciate a word of advice from you.

Barb_D · Mar 18, 2011

One car that has two colors: A gray and white car.

Two cars, one gray, one white: A gray and a white car. A gray car and a white car.

There is no way that "a _____ car is" can refer to two cars.

EDITED to fix my confusing typo!

bhaisahab · Mar 18, 2011

ostap77 said:
"A gray and white car is parked outside the hotel." That's what I wrote but was told that it's incorrect to talk about a single car since it means two different cars parked outside the hotel not a car with two colors and that it takes the plural of "to be". I would appreciate a word of advice from you.

*British spelling alert!*
Your sentence is fine, it means that one car, grey and white in colour, is parked outside the hotel.

ostap77 · Mar 18, 2011

Barb_D said:
One car that has two colors: A gray and white car.

Two cars, one gray, one white: A gray and a white car. A gray car and a white car.

There is no way that "a _____ car" can refer to one car.

I want to make sure that I got it right. So "a gray and white car" refers to one car and the correct form of the verb "is". OK?
Sorry I already sent my message before you wrote yours.

Could it be "a gray car and white one" or "a gray and white cars"?

SoothingDave · Mar 18, 2011

"A whatever whatever car is" is singular. "A" refers to one thing. "Is" is a singular verb. "Car" is a singular form.

If there was more than one car, then you would say "cars...are" with no "a" before.

birdeen's call · Mar 18, 2011

ostap77 said:
Could it be "a gray car and white one" or "a gray and white cars"?

This is good:
a gray car and a white one :tick:

This is wrong:
a gray and white cars :cross:

As SoothingDave said, "a" is always for a single thing. "A cars" is incorrect.

Barb_D · Mar 19, 2011

ostap77 said:
I want to make sure that I got it right. So "a gray and white car" refers to one car and the correct form of the verb "is". OK?
Sorry I already sent my message before you wrote yours.

Could it be "a gray car and white one" or "a gray and white cars"?

I had since fixed my typo.

a car is = one car only, not two

Don't use a.... cars.

gray and white car

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