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Re: Either right or wrong
well taken, and i might just hunt down that title --
thanks. however, aren't BOTH subjects plural ("firms"
implied after "design"?). personally, i like "there
happen to be neither d.f. nor a.f...." it's
reasonably elegant. but then, maybe i just like to
correlate in the negative.
--- Jeff McCloud <teamccloud at yahoo_com> wrote:
> <<<<<<<<<<<
> "there do not happen to be EITHER design or
> architecture firms in the area" -- this is
> correct
> construction too, yes? (as is the neither/nor
> construction, which likely is more formal/higher
> english). why not eliminate the singular
> adjective
> and go for parallel construction?
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> "When Words Collide," a grammar book from my
> journalism school days says this about either/or:
>
> Called a correlative conjunction, it poses
> "agreement problems. When a compound subject is
> linked by correlative conjunction, the subject
> closest to the verb determines the number of the
> verb.
>
> "(Example:) Neither the legislator nor her aides
> were available for comment.
>
> "When the subject closes to the verb is singular,
> you must use a singular verb. The construction is
> grammatical but sometimes graceless:
>
> "(Example:) Neither the aides nor the legislator
> was available for comment.
>
> "Avoid awkwardness by placing the plural subject
> next to the verb."
>
> Jeff McCloud
> teamccloud at yahoo_com
>
>
>
>
>
>
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