is or are?

[Manoverboard]

For me it has to sound right ... sod the grammar

[Dancing Queen]

I agree Moby

[david63]

But does it not depend on whether the "couple in the corner" is one couple of two or two individuals?

The joys of the English language

[Kendhni]

... Or it could be a single person which would make it plural ... With a nudge and a wink

[ChesterfieldJohn]

Blimey I'm no wiser now

John

[jay-ell71]

Re-reading my post I see I have made a typo!!!! Best to shut up really. Off to Madeira, where they speak English better than wot we does!

[Holiday Planner]

I agree Carole, the times I tell my grandchildren " it's not would of , it's would HAVE ! " they think I'm mad of course but it sounds dreadful.

Yes, Jacknian - this one is really bugging me at the moment. I see 'would of' on Facebook etc every day. The trouble is, the more that people who don't realise it is incorrect see it written down like that, the more they will be subliminally convinced that they are right.

[oldbluefox]

Can I add 'thankyou' to the list. Since when was 'thank you' all one word. Aaaarrrgh!!

[Romig1]

Don't know which is grammatically correct but 'the next couple to leave is ' just doesn't sound right when you add a couple of names after it. As you will be putting 2 names it sounds better to say ' the next couple to leave are Janet and John ' ( for example )

What dance did Janet and John perform...I don't remember them?

[oldbluefox]

John dances.
Janet dances.
John and Janet dance.
Look John.
Look Janet.
Spot dances.

[Dark Knight]

spot wins X factor


says it all really

[Jan Rosser]

John dances.
Janet dances.
John and Janet dance.
Look John.
Look Janet.
Spot dances.

That brings back memories of the boys learning to read or was it Peter and Jane - I'm having a senior moment I think

[oldbluefox]

They used to be such a clean-living middle class family. Who's Peter? Has Janet been having an affair all this time? Or is it John?

[Kendhni]

Janet got herself pregnant when she was 15 and then her parents kicked her out forcing her into a foster home but at 16 she applied for and got her own house from the council and moved in with her boyfriend (not the father of the child). After 2 more children and a couple of years the boyfriend left for unbeknownst reasons, however they became apparent when a few weeks later Janet moved her new girfriend in. A string of girl friends followed but after a period in the police, being a surf instructor, and 'cruising' around the world on a Harley she has now settled down with a lovely girl from Fresno and teaches pre-school children in Hawaii.

[oldbluefox]

I always had my doubts about Janet!!

[Jan Rosser]

Just checked with my son - he did learn to read with the Peter and Jane reading books - see I wasn't having a "senior" moment after all

[oldbluefox]

Jan

[Manoverboard]

Foxy, oh learned one

I've got some ' alternate ' versions of those Ladybird Books, pics in the post

[Kendhni]

Foxy, oh learned one

I've got some ' alternate ' versions of those Ladybird Books, pics in the post

You may be getting 'ladybird' and 'ladyboy' mixed up there MOB

[Mervyn and Trish]

I used to enjoy the Janet and John stories as told by Terry Wogan, referring to newsreader John "Boggy" Marsh and his wife Janet. not entirely suitable for the classroom!

[Manoverboard]

Foxy, oh learned one

I've got some ' alternate ' versions of those Ladybird Books, pics in the post

You may be getting 'ladybird' and 'ladyboy' mixed up there MOB

Nope

[oldbluefox]

Foxy, oh learned one

I've got some ' alternate ' versions of those Ladybird Books, pics in the post

Got them Mob. Nice to see they have been updated. They would probably go down well in our enlightened age. Mervyn has either read them, or indeed written them.