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I wonder if the sentence "This pull request and merge is a mess" has a correct grammar.

"pull request and merge" are two words so the verb should possibly be in plural for "This pull request and merge are a mess"? Furthermore, "These pull request and merge is/are a mess" sounds wrong in my ear. "These pull requests and merges are a mess" is not what I meant (there is only on pull request and one merge). Perhaps "pull request and merge" should be regarded as some form of collective?

A rephrased sentence seems grammatical to me: "This pull request with a merge is a mess".

I note a similar question Plural of noun and concept takes singular verb?

Finn Årup Nielsen
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    You need to consider whether each of pull, request and merge and mess is a mess, in which case you have three messes, the verb should be plural (and so should 'this'. Or are they a triad (a single combination of three things, treated as one, as with "toast, butter and marmalade is my favourite breakfast."? – Tuffy Aug 11 '21 at 08:28
  • Phrases describing actions or processes such as "cut and blow dry", "shampoo and set", "scale and polish", or "spit and polish" seem similar. If it's logically one thing (or billed as one thing), it's normally singular, even if it's referred to with a phrase with "and" in it. Obviously if you had separate operations with different targets/products, then that would be a plural. – Stuart F Aug 11 '21 at 08:53
  • "Pull request and merge" seems to be being treated as a unary rather than binary notion, when those subscribing to notional agreement can choose the singular verb form. And many people use notional agreement to some extent: few would say "Fish and chips are my/Pete's favo[u]rite meal." – Edwin Ashworth Aug 11 '21 at 09:50
  • It is ungrammatical to apply plural these to a singular noun. You must say *This cat and dog were all the firemen could rescue from the blazing fire.* – tchrist Aug 11 '21 at 13:47

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