Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 17:00:26 -0500 From: John Baldwin <jhb@freebsd.org> To: Daniel Gerzo <gerzo@micronet.sk> Cc: doc-committers@freebsd.org, cvs-doc@freebsd.org, cvs-all@freebsd.org, Daniel Gerzo <danger@freebsd.org>, Max Laier <max@love2party.net>, Ceri Davies <ceri@submonkey.net> Subject: Re: cvs commit: www/en about.sgml Message-ID: <200611071700.27822.jhb@freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: <947574552.20061107211608@micronet.sk> References: <200611071654.kA7GsWbj097708@repoman.freebsd.org> <200611072054.30906.max@love2party.net> <947574552.20061107211608@micronet.sk>
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On Tuesday 07 November 2006 15:16, Daniel Gerzo wrote: > Hello, > > Tuesday, November 7, 2006, 8:54:23 PM, you wrote: > > > [ Not a native speaker ] > > > On Tuesday 07 November 2006 19:55, Ceri Davies wrote: > >> On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 04:54:31PM +0000, Daniel Gerzo wrote: > >> > danger 2006-11-07 16:54:31 UTC > >> > > >> > FreeBSD doc repository > >> > > >> > Modified files: > >> > en about.sgml > >> > Log: > >> > - improve grammar > >> > > >> > | @@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ > >> > | including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, magnetic tape, > >> > | an MS-DOS® partition, or if you have a network > >> > | connection, you can install it <i>directly</i> over > >> > | - anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need is > >> > | + anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need are > >> > | <a > >> > | > >> > | href="&base;/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install.html">these > >> > | directions</a>.</p> > >> > >> This change isn't correct - "these directions" is the object of this > >> sentence and the verb "is" should agree with the subject "all you > >> need", which is singular. > > > I was confused by this, can you tell me if the following sounds right? > > I'm confused too, it sounds with "are" better to me, but I might be > wrong. English fluents around, please step up and tell us what's the > correct form of this sentence? Hmm, I think 'are' is correct. Compare these two sentences: These directions are all you need. These directions is all you need. If you flip it that way, 'are' is obviously correct, and you are using a linking verb to basically express equality (these directions == all [you need]). In this case you are linking 'all' with the object. Thus: All you need is a green car. (all == car is singular) All you need are two green cars and a stick of dynamite for some fun. (all == cars + dynamite is plural) -- John Baldwin
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