philip schofield

[sambro]

the first couple to go through IS, should this be ARE?

[dunwerkin]

IS is correct! A 'couple' is a single item. If he said the 'two' to go through, that would be 'are'. There are loads of examples of incorrect use of plurals used in the news as well. The Government 'are' should be 'is' - you can identify lots more if you are as anal about grammar as I are ! Don't get me started on 'me and my friends' - you wouldn't say "me is going to the shops" would you?

[bednobs]

couple is singular, not plural

[sambro]

Thanks dunwerkin so its I is going to the shops ?

[squarebear]

So which of these woud be correct:

1) Arsenal ARE playing football on Saturday.
2) Arsenal IS playing football on Saturday.

I would have though ARE even though Arsenal is singular.

[sambro]

well arsenal are playing sounds right to me

[sir.prize]

sambro . . it may SOUND right but it is incorrect. Type 'Arsenal are playing football on Saturday' into a Word Document and then do a spellcheck. You will see that the word ARE is incorrect.

[hippyhoppy]

I thought, when I first read the question, that you were imitating his shouty voice in the show!!!

[beejaybee]

This question was asked re Strictly Come Dancing as Bruce Forsythe says the same.

[Netty7]

The one that irritates me is ' I could of done that' instead of 'I could have done that '. That crops up in loads of dramas/ soaps etc and I'm sure script writers don't write it like that. It drives me mad!

[galltin]

That's my pet hate too Netty................................

[Doc Spock]

That is just down to accent Netty.