Hello， Teachers! Please help me.

[TheParser]

:crazyeye::crazyeye::crazyeye::-(

Hello, Harry.

(1) I am sorry that you still do not understand.

(2) I think that you understand No. 3. Am I correct?

(a) In English, you ALWAYS say: 80 percent OF the students are doing homework. You always use the word "of":

100 percent of the students are studying English.
Only 5 percent of the students have cars.

I think you understand. That is an easy rule to remember: use "OF."

(3) In countries where people speak English as a first language, there are two answers to No. l. You live in a country where English is NOT the first language. So here is the rule that most teachers (like yours) teach:

When a sentence begins with words like "I think," FORGET those words!!!

Just think of the word "not."

(I do) not (think) it will rain, will it? = not will rain, will it?

Let's do some others:

(I do) not (think) she can speak Spanish, can she? = not can speak Spanish, can she?

(I do) not (think) it is Sunday, is it? = not is Sunday, is it?

*****

Try to answer these questions:

(a) I do not think he likes candy, ____ _____?

(b) I do not think the children will come, _____ _____?

(c) I do not think it was hot yesterday, _____ _____?

*****

The answers:

(a) does he? (not likes candy -- does he)
(b) will they? (not will come -- will they)
(c) was it? (not was hot -- was it)

***** Thank you *****

 

[corum]

Would you really say, "Women is my weak point"?

Well, I have a thing about women with long legs and blonde hair if that is what you mean. ;-)

Women are my weak point. :tick:
Women is my weak point. :cross:
They are my weak point.

My weak point is women.

Two days is enough. :tick:
They are enough:?:
That is enough. :tick:

Two days - are - enough.
Plural - are - adjective.

That reasoning would be fine if the number of verbs would be governed solely by grammatical concord. Notional concord -- rings a bell?

I'm sorry, corum, but this is my point of view.

 

[Nightmare85]

corum, good post, but you cheated a bit ;-)
You ignored the question:
Two women are my weak point. :up:
I know it sounds strange, but if you accept:
Women are my weak point,
you should accept the other sentence too.

I don't need three women because two women are already enough.
I have two women, and this is enough. :up:
(Enough = the fact that I have two women.)
I have two women, and they are enough. :up:
(Enough = the two women.)

Cheers!

 

[corum]

but you cheated a bit

Smoke and mirrors is my strongest weapon in my argumentation. Some clever sleight of hand and a bit of nip and tuck here and there.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/smoke-and-mirrors
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sleight-of-hand
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/a-nip-and-tuck#a-nip-and-tuck__1

Nightmare, I may be a bit slow but I think I am losing you. What is the question I have to answer now?

 

[Nightmare85]

Nightmare, I may be a bit slow but I think I am losing you. What is the question I have to answer now?

No problem, corum.
I'm 14 years younger
(No offense ;-))

You say:
Women are my weak point. :tick:
Do you also agree that these two sentences are correct :?::
Two women are my weak point.
I don't need three women because two women are already enough.
(Yes, I know that their sense isn't the best, but let's focus on grammatic :-D)

And now the comparison:
Two women are enough.
Two days are enough.

Conclusion:
I don't see a reason to say:
Two days is enough. cross

Cheers!

 

[manou.glamour]

1- when we have a question tag and the first verb is in sentence is in a negative form the second verb will be in afirmative, in this case we are asking about opinion. so the right answer is B

2- B ; are always with plural.

3- B wih students

 

[corum]

No problem, corum.
I'm 14 years younger
(No offense ;-))

pssst!

You say:
Women are my weak point. :tick: Yes.
Do you also agree that these two sentences are correct :?::
Two women are my weak point. Yes.
I don't need three women because two women are already enough.

(Yes, I know that their sense isn't the best, but let's focus on grammatic :-D)

And now the comparison:
Two women are enough.

Two days are enough.

Conclusion:
I don't see a reason to say:
Two days is enough. cross

Two women are my weak point. Who is your weak point? They.
Two women is enough. That is enough, two women.

The same noun phrase can have different notional values, depending on context.

 

[corum]

Tom and Jerry is my weak spot. It is cool :tick: -- the cartoon
Tom and Jerry are my weak spot. They are cool. :tick: -- the two cartoon figures

 

[corum]

don't need three women because two women are already enough.

While I was watching England vs. Algeria on TV, I was not particularly amazed by the quality of football the two teams represented. This WC is really s.it, IMO. So I began thinking and this is what I "managed" to come up with:

'enough' means adequate in terms of quantity. When you say 'two women are', the choice of plural verb form implies that you refer to two distinct individuals and not a single quantity. As 'two women' is not used in a sense that is implying quantity, it cannot be described in a SVC structure by an adjective that relates to quantity.

Let me quote again Michael Swan, a widely-acclaimed descriptive grammarian:

PEU, 527: amounts and quantities: that five pounds

When we talk about amounts and quantities we usually use singular determiners, verbs, and pronouns, even if the noun is plural.

Twenty miles is a long way to walk.
We have got five liters of petrol left. That is not enough.

 

[Nightmare85]

What is my weak point?
If we follow that logic, we should always stick to is.
So why, "Women are my weak point" then?

I agree that we wouldn't ask:
What are my weak point? :cross:

Why not:
Two women is/are enough. What is enough? They.

Well, it's not easy and I will try to think about it.
(For some days.)

P.S: an SVC structure

Cheers!

 

[Abstract Idea]

but you cheated a bit

Smoke and mirrors is my strongest weapon in my argumentation. Some clever sleight of hand and a bit of nip and tuck here and there.

Corum, The Illusionist!!

(thanks for the vocabulary lesson)

 

[corum]

What is my weak point?
If we follow that logic, we should always stick to is.
So why, "Women are my weak point" then?

I agree that we wouldn't ask:
What are my weak points? cross :tick:
My weak points are drugs and women.

Why not:
Two women is/are enough. What is enough? They.

It is not really 'they' what is enough, but their number.

Two women are enough. This woman is enough and that woman is enough too.

They are enough.
They is enough.
Two women is enough.

:up:

Corum, The Illusionist!!

(thanks for the vocabulary lesson)

Delusionist, that is more like it. :-(

My bottom line:

Two women (the number of women) is enough. :up:
Two women are enough. :down:
Two women are my weak spot. (This woman and that woman comprise my weak spot)
Women (female individuals) are my weak spot. :tick:
Women is my weak spot. :cross:

 

[TheParser]

But then we could almost only use singular.
I think (the amount of) 3 men is enough.
I know (the number of) 10 computers is too few.
I believe (the period of) three days is too many; two days is enough already.
Sounds very strange to me.

I think 3 men are enough.
I know 10 computers are too few.
I believe three days are too many; two days are enough.
Sounds correct to me.

I'm sorry, corum, but this is my point of view.
If you want to say "the amount of", then do it.
To me it makes no sense to "imagine" words, and in the original sentence there is no mention of "the amount of".

Two days - are - enough.
Plural - are - adjective.

Another example:
Women are my weak point.
Two women are my weak point.
My weak point is women.

Would you really say, "Women is my weak point"?
I guess you won't.
So why should, "Two women is my weak point"? be correct?
"My weak point is women" -> no doubt!
Singular - is - subj. complement.

Cheers!

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Nightmare.

*** Two days is/are enough [time] for this project.

(1) If you are taking a test, most teachers would probably expect "is."

(2) In regular, daily conversation, it does NOT matter. Many native speakers would feel more comfortable with "are." For example, an excellent teacher in this thread prefers "are," too.

*** In English Review Grammar, Mr. Walter Kay Smart says that although "is" is preferred in the following sentences, "are" is also "permissible":

Two pounds of sugar is (are) allowed to each customer.
A thousand dollars has (have) been spent.
Ten miles of concrete was (were) laid.
Forty yards of material is (are) needed.

***If you feel more comfortable in using "are," go ahead and do it. Native speakers will almost never notice any big difference.

*** BUT ***

There are a FEW times (very few) when you really should use "is":

Fifty dollars IS the price of the book. (Saying "are" would immediately mark you as a non-native speaker.)

Fifty miles IS a long way to walk. (Actually, some native speakers might actually use "are" in certain circumstances.)

Fifty dollars IS too MUCH for that. (One book says that it would be "odd" to say, "Fifty dollars ARE too MANY for that.")

***

In other words, Nightmare, you are right to say the word with which you feel comfortable. Only in a VERY few cases does it matter. Even native speakers do not agree on many sentences. Is it "2 + 2 IS 4" or "2 + 2 ARE 4"? Many books say it's your choice (although most favor "is").

***
Mr. Smith: Darling, we already have 8 children. Let's have another child. OK?

Mrs. Smith: No way! 8 IS enough!!!

(If the wife had said, "Eight are enough," that would have been correct, too. But "8 is" seems to better emphasize the number.)

***

One very good book gives a sentence similar to your "Women is/are my weak point" example:

(a) Good manners are a rarity nowadays.

(b) Good manners is a rarity nowadays.

(i) The book explains that maybe this speaker was thinking of "a rarity." That is, "A rarity nowadays is good manners."

***** Thank you *****

 

[corum]

The rules governing number concord are a bit all over the place (= not well organized or carefully considered). I agree with TheParser that unless you sit for an exam, do not sweat the small stuff.

 

[Harry12345]

Hello, Harry.

(1) I am sorry that you still do not understand.

(2) I think that you understand No. 3. Am I correct?

(a) In English, you ALWAYS say: 80 percent OF the students are doing homework. You always use the word "of":

100 percent of the students are studying English.
Only 5 percent of the students have cars.

I think you understand. That is an easy rule to remember: use "OF."

(3) In countries where people speak English as a first language, there are two answers to No. l. You live in a country where English is NOT the first language. So here is the rule that most teachers (like yours) teach:

When a sentence begins with words like "I think," FORGET those words!!!

Just think of the word "not."

(I do) not (think) it will rain, will it? = not will rain, will it?

Let's do some others:

(I do) not (think) she can speak Spanish, can she? = not can speak Spanish, can she?

(I do) not (think) it is Sunday, is it? = not is Sunday, is it?

*****

Try to answer these questions:

(a) I do not think he likes candy, ____ _____?

(b) I do not think the children will come, _____ _____?

(c) I do not think it was hot yesterday, _____ _____?

*****

The answers:

(a) does he? (not likes candy -- does he)
(b) will they? (not will come -- will they)
(c) was it? (not was hot -- was it)

***** Thank you *****

TheParser teacher， Thank you！