Is this sentence grammatically correct?

Question

"Both my parents are teachers."

Is it right to use the word BOTH ahead of the word PARENTS.


Does PARENTS means both father and mother? If it does, then wouldn't it be improper to prefix BOTH ahead of PARENTS?

So do we have two words: PARENT (either of father and mother) and PARENTS (both father and mother).

Answer 1

The sentence is absolutely, perfectly correct as is.

To those of you who kept insisting it had to be 'Both OF my parents...", go to any standard dictionary and look up the word 'both'. You will find it is a pronoun and an adjective. Here, it is used as an adjective, meaning 'affecting or involving the one and the other'. Now, go back to about the fifth grade, and tell me how a prepositional phrase (of my parents) can possibly modify an adjective.

If you use both as a pronoun, it could be modified by a phrase, and the "of' would be right - but the question was whether or not the sentence was grammatically correct - and it is. You are proposing a different sentence.

To those of you who suggested:
"Each of my parents are teachers", you should really consider taking a grammar course before answering a grammar question.

'Each' is singular; 'are' is plural - they don't go together.

It is true that saying "My parents are... " conveys the same information and uses one word less. However, the construction using 'both' is well-established in literature and usage, and would be mandatory for emphasis if the intent was to say that not just one parent was a teacher.

Answer 2

the S is added because there are more than 1 parents. The word parent in this case is a noun. In the english language, there are never any specific meanings to nouns.

parents does not mean both mother and father. It can mean mother, mother, father father. the ownership of parents is not specified in the word parents. Also gay/les rights can play into this as well.

Answer 3

NO
it should be
"Both of my parents are teachers
"Both OF my parents are teachers" or
"Each of my parents are teachers"
You an say "Both of my parents are teachers."
You can also say, "Both my mother and my father are teachers."
No you use it before.
It stands correct...actually the sentences before an after would have to be in the correct tense for that to be correct


If you really want to use the word both, "My parents are both teachers."

I would say that the use of the word both is unnecessary, but not improper. However, I might reorder the sentence to read, "My parents are both teachers."


It should be "My parents are both teachers."

It seems to be valid! I'm not an expert on language but I have a keen sense on gramatical and ungramatical utterances - not much help I know, but, take it from me; it sounds peachy.
Source(s):

Me. Dummy!

You can write it
"Both my parents are teachers." or "My parents both are teachers." They are both correct

Yes, the sentence is grammatically correct.
But yes, "both" is redundant.

I think it's kind of like saying "these one's". Meaning that it's a little redundant. Why not just say "My parents are teachers"?

And you can have one parent, so yes, parents would technically mean your mother and father (or whoever you consider your parents to be).

parents does not mean both mother and father. It can mean mother, mother, father father. the ownership of parents is not specified in the word parents. Also gay/les rights can play into this as well.

To tidy up yout original statement;
"Both of my parents are teachers."
To keep that subject / predicate thing simple;
"My parents are both teachers"
or more simply;
"My parents are teachers." ("both" would be implied)


Since 'parents' are mentioned it implies that there are two, so the word 'both' is redundant. Therefore 'My parents are teachers.' would suffice.parent- (n) one who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother

this is the dictionary denotation of parent
therefore, we can assume that "parents"means not the mother AND father, but rather more than one of a father or mother, not necessarily having to belong (genetically) to the same child

so by saying, both my parents are teachers, you are saying that both of the people that nuture and raise you (your father and mother) are teachers

therefore, i say that the sentence IS grammatically correct

Answer 4

grammatically correct, yes. it's ok to use both before parents. they are both parents, regardless. a father is a parent and so is a mother. if you were adopted by a gay couple you would still call them both parents but in this case you would also be able to refer to both fathers or both mothers. we do have two words. parents is the plural form of parent. hope this helps. learning english?

Answer 5

I would say that the use of the word both is unnecessary, but not improper. However, I might reorder the sentence to read, "My parents are both teachers."

Answer 6

parent- (n) one who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child; a father or mother

this is the dictionary denotation of parent
therefore, we can assume that "parents"means not the mother AND father, but rather more than one of a father or mother, not necessarily having to belong (genetically) to the same child

so by saying, both my parents are teachers, you are saying that both of the people that nuture and raise you (your father and mother) are teachers

therefore, i say that the sentence IS grammatically correct

my only reccomendation would be to include the word "of" in the sentence, placing it before the word "my"

Answer 7

I think it's kind of like saying "these one's". Meaning that it's a little redundant. Why not just say "My parents are teachers"?

And you can have one parent, so yes, parents would technically mean your mother and father (or whoever you consider your parents to be).

Answer 8

shop it straight forward and boil it down. Use the previous straight forward quite of a suitable stressful and ditch the preposition on the top of the sentence. Your sentence isn't incorrect, even nevertheless it would desire to be superior. I forgot to put in each and every of the well mannered stuff that usually starts off or ends an digital mail. I forgot to apply each and every of the well mannered stuff that usually starts off or ends an digital mail. I forgot to apply the well mannered stuff that usually starts off or ends an digital mail.

Answer 9

You an say "Both of my parents are teachers."
You can also say, "Both my mother and my father are teachers," or "My parents are teachers."

Answer 10

If you really want to use the word both, "My parents are both teachers."

But, "My parents are teachers." works too.