On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 05:00:26PM -0500, John Baldwin wrote: > 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.
Those two sentences invert the subject and object.
> 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)
You're making the same mistake as Daniel. The CMS is very clear on
this.
Ceri
--
That must be wonderful! I don't understand it at all.
-- Moliere
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