[Grammar] is or are

[tianhang]

Every answer is appreciated here.
1. One and a half apples is on the table.
2. One apple and a half is on the table.
In the above two sentences, should we use "is" or"are"? Or both are right.
Thank you!

 

[tianhang]

It would be more natural to begin such a statement with 'There is/are ...'

I'd say There's one and a half apples on the table.

But the two sentences I listed do exist. So I am still not clear whether "is" or "are" is right. Or both are OK.
Eg: –What is on the table?
– One and a half apples.
As far as I understand, "is on the table" is omitted in the answer.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think "are" refers to "apples" in "One and a half apples are on the table".

 

[jutfrank]

I am still not clear whether "is" or "are" is right. Or both are OK.

There's a fourth possibility: both are wrong.

Your sentence 1 is not good English and sentence 2 is even worse. That means that they are very unlikely to be be used at all.

Use the suggestion provided in post #2.

 

[GoesStation]

The key question here is whether one and a half is singular or plural. It's plural. For example, The warehouse received sixteen cases of Bollinger. Most of the them are being shipped to customers, but one and a half are going to be set aside.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think "one and a half" is plural because 1½ ＝ 1.5, which is plural.

 

[jutfrank]

The key question here is whether one and a half is singular or plural. It's plural.

We almost always use it like that, yes, but I don't think it's quite as simple as that. I think it all depends on how you conceive of the thing in question.

For example, when doing math, we might say One and a half is half of three.

You might say that's silly and pedantic but the point is that it's apples that is plural, not the quantity per se.

 

[jutfrank]

I think "one and a half" is plural because 1½ ＝ 1.5, which is plural.

This is circular reasoning, surely. What makes you say 1.5 is plural?

Is 0.8 also plural?

There are 0.8 apples on the table.

 

[GoesStation]

I should have written one and a half things takes a plural. So does zero point eight things.

 

[Matthew Wai]

What makes you say 1.5 is plural?

Someone told me that all numbers except 1 and -1 are plural. Even 0 is plural.
And MikeNewYork agreed to that. See https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/207845#post1066923

 

[jutfrank]

Someone told me that all numbers except 1 and -1 are plural. Even 0 is plural.
And MikeNewYork agreed to that. See https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/207845#post1066923

Oh, I see. Yes, we use plural nouns with decimal quantities.

But it's not necessarily right to say:

"one and a half" is plural because 1½ ＝ 1.5

This is a kind of category error. Remember that we're talking about language, not mathematics. In language, one and a half is not equal to 1.5.

Also, strictly, it is not the number 1 that is plural, it's the use of language that is plural.

How would you say the following?

There ___ 1.0000 apple_ on the table?

According to your reasoning, we say is/apple because 1=1.0000.

As for -1, I don't even know what you mean. Could you give me an example where minus one is used with a singular noun?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Also, strictly, it is not the number 1 that is plural, it's the use of language that is plural.

Nobody has said "1" is plural. Have I misread/misquoted something?

Could you give me an example where minus one is used with a singular noun?

The temperature dropped to minus one degree Celsius.

There was a distinct lack of agreement on anything in that thread.

Four teachers liked/thanked for MikeNewYork's post.

 

[jutfrank]

Also, strictly, it is not the number 1 that is plural, it's the use of language that is plural.

To MatthewWai: Sorry, I made a mistake in the sentence above. I meant singular, not plural.

The temperature dropped to minus one degree Celsius.

That's an interesting example, thanks. I think that in casual, informal speech, as a non-meteorologist, I would still say degrees, though, not degree.