General Chat

....are....

LOL Gwynne. I decided against apostrophes today too! (or should that be apostrophe's?) LOLOL and ducks as Gwynne throws something! Sue xx

'Quite' is one of those words which must drive foreigners to despair when they try to learn English. It has TWO meanings - one as a qualifier, and one as an absolute. For instance you can say 'This cake is quite nice' which we understand in conversation to mean it is better than expected, but not perfect. But 'This cake is quite perfect' means it is absolutely perfect! (Oh, we got points deducted for using the word NICE, in English lessons) OC

*wonders whether to treat people to her rant about apostrophes* *decides against it* Gwynne

Or how about ''almost unique'' We spent an English lesson in the 1960's discussing the meaning of the word ''quite'' as in ''quite pretty'' and came to the conclusion that it was meaningless. If we used the word in essays after that we were penalised. It is surprising who we do use qualifiers when they are unnecessary. I can remember being sent on errands when I was small, (we called them messages in Liverpool, never quite worked out why) and had to ask the butcher for four nice chops. I often wondered how many nasty chops he sold.....!

A couple is singular so it should be is.

I agree - 'is' is correct. One couple, therefore a singular noun. My pet hate is 'totally unique'. If something is unique, that's just what it is. It can't be any more unique than it is, therefore nothing can be 'totally unique'. Rant over! LOL Sue xx

'is' is correct grammar. You wouldn't say 'a flock are', would you? One couple is... Two couples are...

It's like evryone going ' Ahhh look at the baby lambs' Well, Lambs are babies--- Baby sheep, not baby lambs

Very quick there, Dawn. You are so sharp , mind you don't cut yourself. lol

The next couple IS = one couple The next coupleS ARE (all going to dance at once) = more than one couple. OC

Bob the yolk is yellow. the yolks are yellow

This ' is ' and ' are ' thingy can get quite complicated when you look at it. Is it corrct english to say' The yolk of an egg is yellow' or ' The yolk of an egg are yellow?' what say you??

The answer is,is. if you take the 'Couple' being classed as a 'Team', which invariably they are,i/e two skaters working together as one team. Hal.

Now how did I know both Gwynn would know why lol doesnt mean it sounds right though lol

o dawn this has annoyed the **** out of me for ages i will agree with everyone else and say it should be 'are' but then what do i know - o yeah got an A level in english lol

If we are being pedantic about it couple is a collective noun so should have a singular verb. So 'is' is correct. Gwynne

There are 2 people but there is only 1 couple. So being a single noun it has to be ...is. Gwyn

i think they should say ' the next couple are ' if its one item it is 'is' if it's more than item, which a couple is, it should be 'are' Jane

I would say ARE as couple is a plural, but probably wrong lol