My Questions is Three?

Question

Hi,

Sorry to bother you with my English, my second language.

When I was watching the TV show called Larry King Live, there was a conversaton something like this,

Larry: "There is a phone call for you"
Guest: "OK."
Larry: "Go ahead."
Caller: "My question is three. One is blah blah......"

Here is my question: the part, "My question is three." Is this gramatically correct? Is this kind of verbal expression often used in the spoken language?

Do you say more often "my questions is three" than "my questions are three."

Answer 1

Grammatically, the proper use would have been
'
"I have three questions for you."

The "Is" would be wrong if the "three" were an adjective of the Questions which described them. THREE is a numerator, which makes the THREE a definer, as in Three Questions. Therefore, using the "My questions ARE three." is also incorrect.

You could go so far as to say "My question is in three parts: The first part is...." but this would only be correct if the three questions or parts of one question were related in some fashion.

Given only the opening phrase, "My question is three." gives us no real clue as to the following questions, so either would be correct..

"I have three questions for you."
"My question is in three parts."

Answer 2

Semantics. You are correct. "My questions are three," is definitely more gramatically correct. Fortunately that is not heard often. Just somebody trying to be... trendy.

H

Answer 3

I don't think I have ever, or ever would, use the term "My question is three." or even "My questions are three." For some reason, they both sound somehow archaic to me- I'd much more say "I have three questions."

Grammatically, they are both correct, so long as you use the proper verb-subject agreement, hence "My question is three." and My questions are three." are both correct, but "My questions is three." or "My question are three." are not. Semantically, "My questions are three." would probably make better sense, but if you meant that your one question had three parts, then "My question is three." might make sense, too.

Very confusing. Just tell people you have three questions!

Answer 4

Bad English.

My question is in 3 parts . . . OK

I have 3 questions . . . OK

Answer 5

Grammaticallly, "My questions are three" would be more accurate, since "questions" is plural, a plural verb, "are" is used.

I would be more likely to say "I have three questions." but the other form is also acceptable.

Answer 6

My answer is four.