A grammar question...

[shane]

Okay, I'm the first to admit that my grammar is a bit dodgy! :shock:

In the school book today, there was the following sentence:

"How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

I swear that we usually ask "How much does a hamburger and a hot dog cost" - am I right or wrong?
We could also ask:

"How much is a hamburger and a hot dog?"
"How much would a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

Am I right? I'm right, aren't I? Please tell me I'm right! :wink:

Shane

 

[lucyarliwu]

In the school book today, there was the following sentence:

"How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

I swear that we usually ask "How much does a hamburger and a hot dog cost" - am I right or wrong?
We could also ask:

"How much is a hamburger and a hot dog?"
"How much would a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

Am I right? I'm right, aren't I? Please tell me I'm right! :wink:

Shane

I get confused too, maybe you are right by using"does" or "would",Shane!

 

[shane]

I get confused too, maybe you are right by using"does" or "would",Shane!

Thanks Lucy! I'm convinced I'm right
However, I'm waiting for one of the experts to come along IYKWIM (If You Know What I Mean) :wink:

P.S. NOT that I am calling you a 'non expert'!!!

 

[lucyarliwu]

Donot worry, Shane!

It doesn't matter to be regarded as a layman for me, because I 'll be bold to participate any discussion or topics and raising questions without any pressure freely.

Lucy--a proud English layman

 

[Red5]

Hi Shane,

I'm definitely on your side with this one, but I'll let the real teachers come in and have their say for a definitive answer. ;-)

 

[shane]

Donot worry, Shane!

It doesn't matter to be regarded as a layman for me, because I 'll be bold to participate any discussion or topics and raising questions without any pressure freely.

Lucy--a proud English layman

Way to go Lucy; confidence is the key to success

 

[Tdol]

You often find a singular verb in sentences like yours, because it sounds better next to a singualr noun, even though there are two. It's especially common with 'there is a hot dog and a hamburger'. However, 'do' sounds better to me in this case. In BE, we are relaxed about this issue, but Americans tend to be a bit more picky. ;-)

 

[shane]

Thanks for clearing that up, Tdol

 

[Tdol]

You're welcome. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

Okay, I'm the first to admit that my grammar is a bit dodgy! :shock:

In the school book today, there was the following sentence:

"How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

I swear that we usually ask "How much does a hamburger and a hot dog cost" - am I right or wrong?
We could also ask:

"How much is a hamburger and a hot dog?"
"How much would a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"

Am I right? I'm right, aren't I? Please tell me I'm right! :wink:

Shane

I would say "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?" just the same as I would say "How much do they cost?" Sorry to be disagreeable. :wink:

The other sentences are, IMO, perfectly fine. I judge them as being equivalent to "What is the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?" with "cost" being the object of "is".

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

I would say "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?" just the same as I would say "How much do they cost?" Sorry to be disagreeable. :wink:

The other sentences are, IMO, perfectly fine. I judge them as being equivalent to "What is the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?" with "cost" being the object of "is".

8)

So may I make it into two alternatives?

#1 "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"
Here I might just want to know the sumup of two things together,
without caring about the price for each item;

#2" What's the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?"
In this case, I want to know each price for each item individually,
for I can caculate the sumup myself.

 

[lucyarliwu]

I would say "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?" just the same as I would say "How much do they cost?" Sorry to be disagreeable. :wink:

The other sentences are, IMO, perfectly fine. I judge themn as being equivalent to "What is the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?" with "cost" being the object of "is".

8)

So may I make it into two alternatives?

#1 "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"
Here I might just want to know the sumup of two things together,
without caring about the price for each item;

#2" What's the cost of a hamburber and a hot dog?"
In this case, I want to know each price for each item individually,
for I can caculate the sumup myself.

 

[RonBee]

I would say "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?" just the same as I would say "How much do they cost?" Sorry to be disagreeable. :wink:

The other sentences are, IMO, perfectly fine. I judge them as being equivalent to "What is the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?" with "cost" being the object of "is".

8)

So may I make it into two alternatives?

#1 "How much do a hamburger and a hot dog cost?"
Here I might just want to know the sumup of two things together,
without caring about the price for each item;

Exactly!

#2" What's the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?"
In this case, I want to know each price for each item individually,
for I can caculate the sumup myself.

Actually, I see that one as being the same as the first one. The person is asking for the combined price of the two items. If she were asking the price of a hamburger she would simply say, "How much for a hamburger?"

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

#2" What's the cost of a hamburger and a hot dog?"
In this case, I want to know each price for each item individually,
for I can caculate the sumup myself.

Actually, I see that one as being the same as the first one. The person is asking for the combined price of the two items. If she were asking the price of a hamburger she would simply say, "How much for a hamburger?"

8)

What about " What's the cost of a hamburger and of a hot dog?"
And the same to 'how much' in " how much for a hamburger and for a hot dog?"
Maybe we just need to add some preposition in the vague sentence?

 

[RonBee]

What about " What's the cost of a hamburger and of a hot dog?"
And the same to 'how much' in " how much for a hamburger and for a hot dog?"
Maybe we just need to add some preposition in the vague sentence?

In both of your sample sentences the person is asking for the price of the two items combined. If you want to know the price of just one of them, you should ask for that separately. Otherwise, it might not be clear that that is what you want.

8)

 

[Tdol]

What's the cost of a hamburger and that of a hot dog?

That would make it clear that you wanted them separately. ;-)

 

[lucyarliwu]

What's the cost of a hamburger and that of a hot dog?

That would make it clear that you wanted them separately. ;-)

OK, good idea!

 

[Tdol]

Although, I wouldn't want either of them