[Grammar] The use of "is" and "are" in a setance

[Johnny_N]

Please assist with the correct use of the words "is" and "are"

When to place them and how to correctly use them?

Thank you :-?

 

[5jj]

Welcome to the forum, Johnny. :hi:

That is rather too broad a question to answer in one post. Have you examples of specific problems with these verbs?

 

[Johnny_N]

5jj, Here are some examples I have and would appreciate the assistance / correct use

My mom and dad ARE / IS

My mom, together with my dad, IS/ARE

My mom, as well as the rest of my family, IS/ARE

My mom, and to a lesser extent by dad, IS/ARE

 

[SoothingDave]

5jj, Here are some examples I have and would appreciate the assistance / correct use

My mom and dad ARE / IS

My mom, together with my dad, IS/ARE

My mom, as well as the rest of my family, IS/ARE

My mom, and to a lesser extent by dad, IS/ARE

"And" forms a plural subject. Use "are."

In the other cases "mom" is the subject and the rest is simply a prepositional phrase acting as a modifier. Use "is."

 

[konungursvia]

5jj, Here are some examples I have and would appreciate the assistance / correct use

My mom and dad ARE / IS

My mom, together with my dad, IS/ARE

My mom, as well as the rest of my family, IS/ARE

My mom, and to a lesser extent by dad, IS/ARE

My mom and dad are...

My mom, [any parenthetical complement here], IS....

So, you should use IS for the last three, as the phrases such as "together with my dad" do not form part of the subject, grammatically.

 

[whitemoon]

What do you think this one?
If we assume "my mon and dad" as a single unit like a husband and wife and a tongue and tooth, we can write
"My mon and dad is very old" like "A husband and wife is a tongue and tooth".

 

[konungursvia]

That is only possible if "My mom and dad" is the name of a restaurant or other business. Two people are two people.

 

[SoothingDave]

What do you think this one?
If we assume "my mon and dad" as a single unit like a husband and wife and a tongue and tooth, we can write
"My mon and dad is very old" like "A husband and wife is a tongue and tooth".

If we thought of "mom and dad" like we did "bacon and eggs," you would be correct. But we do not think of "mom and dad" as a single unit.

 

[whitemoon]

But you, a native speaker, do think of "husband and wife" as a single unit. Why don't you think of "mom and dad" as a single unit?

 

[SoothingDave]

But you, a native speaker, do think of "husband and wife" as a single unit. Why don't you think of "mom and dad" as a single unit?

I don't think of "husband and wife" as a single unit either.

 

[whitemoon]

A/an can be used before two nouns as a singule unit, I have learned. The example is "A husband and wife is a tongue and tooth".

 

[5jj]

A/an can be used before two nouns as a singule unit, I have learned. The example is "A husband and wife is a tongue and tooth".

That is not natural English.

 

[Tdol]

It sounds like a foreign idiom or saying to me- it's not natural English IMO.