Buggah Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Concordance
Which is the correct:
1. Indeed, what really influences the future of people's career are their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
2. Indeed, what really influence the future of people's career are their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
3. Indeed, what really influences the future of people's career is their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
4. Indeed, what really influence the future of people's career is their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
5. None of the above.
I also would like to hear some comments. Thank you.
Buggah Loo
1. Indeed, what really influences the future of people's career are their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
2. Indeed, what really influence the future of people's career are their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
3. Indeed, what really influences the future of people's career is their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
4. Indeed, what really influence the future of people's career is their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
5. None of the above.
I also would like to hear some comments. Thank you.
Buggah Loo
Top answer
I'm not a native speaker, so I may well be wrong about this, but I would pick number 3. When I hear 'what' in such a structure, I always think of a singular 'something', regardless of how many things that 'what' might be referring to later in the sentence.
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I'm not a native speaker, so I may well be wrong about this, but I would pick number 3.
When I hear 'what' in such a structure, I always think of a singular 'something', regardless of how many things that 'what' might be referring to later in the sentence.
When I hear 'what' in such a structure, I always think of a singular 'something', regardless of how many things that 'what' might be referring to later in the sentence.
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Thank you dinosm, but I've also posted this question in
another forum and two people claim only number 2 is right.
I wonder if anybody has a final answer to this.
Thank you
Buggah Loo
another forum and two people claim only number 2 is right.
I wonder if anybody has a final answer to this.
Thank you
Buggah Loo
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I found detailed explanations about this topic in the following link.
However, I still can't reach a conclusion alone.
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/072.html
However, I still can't reach a conclusion alone.
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/072.html
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2 and 4 are both wrong - it has to be influences ... which would suggest a singular subject, that you then ought to carry on to the verb to be, so 3 would be right.
but it is common for the proximity of another plural to shade this issue, and you could probably expect to "get away with" 1
but it is common for the proximity of another plural to shade this issue, and you could probably expect to "get away with" 1
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Indeed, what really influences the future of people's career is their
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
Number 3. I think number 3 is the correct one for what is the subject and needs a third person. Then, career is also singular and needs another 3rd person singular.
achievements, or better to say, their success in one or another field in school.
Number 3. I think number 3 is the correct one for what is the subject and needs a third person. Then, career is also singular and needs another 3rd person singular.
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