Your time and help ARE/IS/will be greatly appreciated.

[bowsnhearts]

As per my thread title, which word/words should I use when I wish to include the above sentence in a letter.

1) Your time and help is greatly appreciated.
2) Your time and help are greatly appreciated.
3) Your time and help will be greatly appreciated.

I normally use 3 but would like to know the correct way to phrase the sentence.

 

[Soup]

Hello bowsnhearts

They are all fine.

1) Your time and help is greatly appreciated.
2) Your time and help are greatly appreciated.
3) Your time and help will be greatly appreciated.

Try also

4) Your time and help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[bowsnhearts]

I don't understand why 1 and 2 can both be correct?

For example,

1) Pink and purple ARE my favourite colours.
2) Pink and purple is my favourite colours.

1 should be right because there is more than 1 colour.

I am not phrasing my question very well but what I mean is, shouldn't it be

"Your time and help are greatly appreciated"

because my appreciation is regarding more than 1 thing (both time and help)?

I am just confused because I have seen all 3 instances being used before.

 

[Soup]

Hi bowsnhearts

1) Pink and purple ARE my favourite colours. :tick:
2) Pink and purple is my favourite colours. :cross:

Pink and purple are separate colors which makes the subject compound and requiring a plural verb.

The phrase time and help, on the other hand, can be viewed as a fixed phrase expressing one thing, which is why singular is works here:

• Your time and help is greatly appreciated.

If your appreciation is regarding both time and help, then use plural are:

• Your time and help are greatly appreciated.

 

[The French]

Hello Mr.Soup,

If I understand well what do you mean, some people can consider the words 'time' and 'help' like one group and naturally they use the singular form of be.

Grammatically is it not better to use the plural form ? ( I ask you that because in France we consider this sentence contains two subjects).

I am just a learner, thank for your reply.

Have a nice day.

 

[Soup]

Hello The French

In English both (a) and (b) are used; however, (a) is more common than (b) in this context:

(a) Your time and energy is appreciated. (unified)
(b) Your time and energy are appreciated. (separated)

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Correction

If I understand well what you [STRIKE]do you[/STRIKE] mean, ... .