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Grammatically Correct: The writer's essential guide to punctuation ...

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GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT<br />

Not only the patient but also her family members feel that the nursing<br />

care is excellent.<br />

Not only the students but also the teacher has signed the petition.<br />

Whether the workers or the supervisor was responsible was a matter of<br />

debate.<br />

Whether the tablecloth or the placemats ~on the table is up <strong>to</strong> you.<br />

Note that constructions that include a plural subject but use a<br />

singular verb may sound awkward. A simple solution is <strong>to</strong> switch<br />

the components around: Either Zeke's sister or his parents are<br />

going <strong>to</strong> attend; Not only the teacher but also the students have<br />

signed the petition. Or avoid the issue by using a verb form that<br />

doesn't change with number: Either Zeke's parents or his sister<br />

will attend; Not only the students but also the teacher signed the<br />

petition.<br />

DISTRACTING PARENTHETICAL NOUNS<br />

When a subject is followed by a phrase that refers <strong>to</strong> another entity,<br />

writers sometimes mistake this entity for the second part of a compound<br />

subject. Consider the following sentences:<br />

<strong>The</strong>odora and her daughter are taking classes in Bulgarian.<br />

<strong>The</strong>odora, as well as her daughter,~ taking classes in Bulgarian.<br />

<strong>The</strong> first example contains a compound subject, <strong>The</strong>odora and<br />

her daughter, and hence takes a plural verb. <strong>The</strong> second one contains<br />

a singular subject, <strong>The</strong>odora, followed by a parenthetical<br />

phrase that refers <strong>to</strong> <strong>The</strong>odora's daughter but is not part of the<br />

subject. Thus, <strong>The</strong>odora, as well as her daughter, are taking<br />

classes in Bulgarian would be incorrect. If a parenthetical phrase<br />

is taken out, the sentence should still read grammatically. It is<br />

obvious that you would not say <strong>The</strong>odora are taking classes in<br />

Bulgarian.<br />

Similarly,<br />

208<br />

His chronic tardiness, as well as his negative attitude, disrupts the class.<br />

<strong>The</strong> professor, <strong>to</strong>gether with her graduate students, was just entering<br />

the building.<br />

<strong>The</strong> new workload, on <strong>to</strong>p of my other duties, ~ unreasonable.

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