Is this correct pluralization? "it is these three.."

Asked Oct 07 '16 at 19:50

Active Oct 07 '16 at 21:21

Viewed 9,351 times

It is these three sentences that show why I am an expert orator

Suppose that there are three paragraphs above this line that each talk about one of the three sentences being referenced.

Should it be

These three sentences are the ones that show why I am an expert orator?

If a mod feels this thread may be redundant given the one posted in the comments, you have my blessing to close it. If you think it isn't redundant enough, then that's fine as well.

edited Oct 07 '16 at 21:21

herisson

81,803

asked Oct 07 '16 at 19:50

Antecedent

Hugely related and probably a duplicate: Subject-complement agreement. – Andrew Leach Oct 07 '16 at 19:55
Why do you think there's anything wrong here? What's your first language? – tchrist Oct 07 '16 at 19:58
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Thank you very much @Andrew_Leach, that thread is a great resource. tchrist my first language is English; but the lack of plural agreement between "is" and "three sentences" gave me some concern. Instinctively, one might expect "is" to be followed by an adjective or singular noun depending on the context. – Antecedent Oct 07 '16 at 20:03
1

Verbs agree with their subjects in English, not with their complements. – tchrist Oct 07 '16 at 20:08
I don't think that I was ever taught that before. Good to know though – Antecedent Oct 07 '16 at 20:14
'It is us' / 'It's us' // 'It's the Smiths' probably cause you no problems. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 07 '16 at 20:44
True enough Edwin, I just never realized what it was that I was doing, one could say. – Antecedent Oct 07 '16 at 20:57
Possible duplicate of Subject/Complement Agreement. How to describe problem with "The thing is the objects." – Chappo Hasn't Forgotten Nov 07 '19 at 00:46

Is this correct pluralization? "it is these three.."

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