[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
[Author Index (this month)][Thread Index (this month)][Top of Archive]

Re: Dorky grammar question

Subject: Re: Dorky grammar question
From: dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 09:30:48 -0700


technical -at- theverbalist -dot- com wrote:

So, in the phrase "a set of rules that defines" does the verb "define" get
modified based on the singular noun "set"--making it "defines"--or based
on the plural noun "rules"--making it "define"?

Well, it depends on what actually defines the thing.

If each of the rules defines some aspect of the thing, you can write "a set of rules that define the thing" because "rules define."

If it requires the full set of rules to define the thing at all, you'd have to write "a set of rules that defines the thing" because "a set defines." (I'd recast the sentence for clarity, in that case.)

I can more easily imagine the first being the correct choice, but only you know the details of your particular situation.

--David

=========================================================================

A V A I L A B L E N O W ! http://www.html-indexer.com

HTML Indexer is still the easiest way to create and maintain real indexes
for web sites, intranets, HTML Help, JavaHelp, and other HTML documents.





^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ROBOHELP X5: Featuring Word 2003 support, Content Management, Multi-Author
support, PDF and XML support and much more!
TRY IT TODAY at http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrl

WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT: New! Document review system for Word and FrameMaker
authors. Automatic browser-based drafts with unlimited reviewers. Full
online discussions -- no Web server needed! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: Re: Top Ten Things You'd Like To Tell Engineers
Next by Author: Re: Dorky grammar question
Previous by Thread: Re: Dorky grammar question
Next by Thread: Re: Dorky grammar question

[Top of Archive] | [Author Index (this month)] | [Thread Index (this month)]

What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:

Sponsored Ads