"What {is/are} the meaning and connotations of this phrase?" Which is correct here, "is" or "are"?

Asked Jun 05 '18 at 09:37

Active Jun 05 '18 at 10:56

Viewed 31 times

Consider the question:

What is/are the meaning and connotations of this phrase?

Clearly you would say:

What is the meaning of this phrase?

What are connotations of this phrase?

and obviously you could just restructure the sentence to avoid the ambiguity:

What is the meaning of this phrase, and what are it's connotations?

But supposing you want to use the original phrase, which form of the verb is correct? Is there a correct form?

edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

Community

asked Jun 05 '18 at 09:37

Brondahl

There isn't really. One complement is singular, the other plural. Whichever verb form you go for, one will be wrong. Using the plural (are) sounds less wrong, as you have two complements, though. – Oliver Mason Jun 05 '18 at 09:43
@OliverMason The verb must agree with its subject, not its complements. – Nigel J Jun 05 '18 at 09:47
@NigelJ In the case of link verbs/copula it has to. What are the meaning of it is clearly wrong. – Oliver Mason Jun 05 '18 at 09:49
1

One can get round the complication of mixed singular/plural by saying 'What would be the meaning and connotations of this phrase ?' – Nigel J Jun 05 '18 at 09:56
Related: Singular verb after two noun phrases joined by “and” that can be thought of as a single thing, Verb agreement in “Where is the Messiah and his Kingdom?”, Using “do” or “does” for two things connected by “and”? – herisson Jun 05 '18 at 10:53

0 Answers0