Should I use is or are in this sentence?
Filling out college applications and visiting campuses, while very time consuming, (is or are) necessary to finding the right college.
Thanks for your help!
2007-09-16 11:44:38 · 14 answers · asked by Steven M 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
The plural ARE should be used.
But the first respondent did NOT cite the right reason.
You have a plural subject.
FILLING OUT and VISITING
These are the subjects of the sentence. It is because of these two words that the ARE is used.
It is NOT because of the objects of those words.
It is NOT because of APPLICATIONS being plural or CAMPUSES being plural.
If you said:
Filling out one application AND visiting one college campus
you would still use the plural ARE in your sentence.
Look at the following sentence:
Betty and Susan, while I hate them, ARE attractive in appearance.
NOTE THAT NO OTHER RESPONDER TO THIS QUESTION HAS BOTH GOTTEN THE CORRECT ANSWER AND CITED THE CORRECT REASON.
2007-09-16 11:58:51 · answer #1 · answered by dnldslk 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to use 'are'.
You use 'is' if there's one subject in the sentence and 'are' if there's more than one subject in the sentence.
For example:
My watch is slow.
Those watches are all fast.
Your sentence is a bit more complicated, though, and it's done my brain in trying to think of the right answer. As the sentence has two subjects (filling in forms and visiting campuses), I think you need to use 'are', but my first instinct was that 'is' would just look better.
I have concluded that you should the word 'both' to your sentence, so it would read as follows:
"Filling out college applications and visiting campuses, while very time consuming, are both necessary to find the right college."
(I've chopped 'ing' off the word 'find' as well because I think that would make the sentence more gramatically correct. Don't ask me to explain myself in more detail or I'll start to whimper. It's midnight, I've just got back from the pub, I'm tired and have got work in the morning, so it's a miracle your answer is THIS detailed.)
I sincerely hope this helps. In the meantime, I must leave a note to the competitive person above...
I have given the correct reason for using 'are' too - and I gave it before I'd seen your reply saying that you were the only one who'd done it. So THERE!!!! I am sticking my tongue out and making a funny face so I can be as petty as you - just for the sheer childishness and fun of it. :-) (Only mucking around!)
2007-09-16 12:06:03 · answer #2 · answered by FriendlyFreak 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Um, I would change the sentence. I would put 'While very time consuming, filling out college applications and visiting campuses is necessary to finding the right college.'
2007-09-16 11:49:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, I think it would be "is".
Because when you take out "college applications and visiting campuses, while very time consuming" you are left with ''filling out ___necessary to finding the right college.
So now if you look at is would make much more sense.
I am supporting my answer as much as possible.
Hope we all helped!!!! :)
GOOD LUCK!
2007-09-16 12:38:20 · answer #4 · answered by gorgeous 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
are
take out the middle
Filling out college applications and visiting campuses ARE necessary to finding the right college.
this might sound better though
To find the right college, you must fill out college applications and visit campuses, even though it consumes a great amount of time.
2007-09-16 11:49:38 · answer #5 · answered by mmiller_2011 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The proper word to use is "IS". Say the sentence with both words and IS is the only one that sounds right. You are talking about filling out applications.....IS...necessary to finding the right college.
2007-09-16 11:53:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You need to use IS.
You are talking about two things.
Filling out college applications is necessary.
Visiting campuses is necessary. You would never say, Filling out applications ARE necessary. You say IS.
I sure hope all our contradictory responses are not horribly confusing.
2007-09-16 11:56:12 · answer #7 · answered by Gorgeous 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just my thoughts, but if you put are in the sentence it seems more gramatically correct. Otherwise the last portion of the sentence would read...
"is necessary to finding the right college..." which I believe to match tenses should be are necessary to finding....
2007-09-16 11:51:36 · answer #8 · answered by cxj704 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is is used for singular things. It is. Are is used for plural things. They are. You are talking about applications and campuses - both of which are plural - so you would use 'are'.
2007-09-16 11:47:35 · answer #9 · answered by old lady 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
is- you are still talking about "filling out" not college applications.
2007-09-16 11:50:14 · answer #10 · answered by gspress_3_years 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋