Which of these sentences is GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT?

[AviatorTom]

Let's have a short quiz about English grammar...

Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

1. Nine plus five IS thirteen

2. Nine plus five ARE thirteen

Please vote in the poll and tell why you chose that in an opinion.

The correct answer will be given on New Years Day.

1. Nine plus five IS thirteen.

2. Nine plus five ARE thirteen.

Updates

1 y

This is an example of EXPECTATION BIAS.

Most people missed that 9+5=14, not 13, and instead concentrated on the grammar, as the question led them to think that is the thing to look for. We humans are often misled like that, advertisements often do it.

Though both IS and ARE are acceptable, the preferred sentence would be...
"Nine plus five is fourteen.", a shortened form of "Nine plus five is equal to fourteen."

[Screenwriter]

Nine plus five is a SUM. The word PLUS indicates this is a mathematical action that will create a sum. Sums are singular.

If you were adding 9 +8+7 it would still equal a singular sum of 24. It's not a plural entity such as "George and Fred and Louise are three people." You can't ADD people unless you are adding NUMBERS OF PEOPLE. 10 people plus 20 people IS/equals 30 people.

Adding numbers of anything means using a singular verb for the sum of that action. Same is true for any mathematical computation.

9*7 equals 63. 10 to the second power IS 100. 100 divided by 5 IS 20.

[kmg9150]

What does happens if add 20 and 10? They are going to form 30.
Or They is going to form 30….

[KostasKouvalis]

@kmg9150 "20 plus 10 MAKES 30"
Hmmmmmmmm

[Screenwriter]

@KostasKouvalis They are all sums. A sum is a singular entity, not a plural entity. If you add 20 numbers or multiply 10, the sum of the work is a single number...

[KostasKouvalis]

What if you have more than one sum?

[Aubrey97]

Grammatically speaking, neither sentence has a period at the end so they are both incorrect. The incorrect math is another thing too...

[Massageman]

Neither. It should be 14.

[NathanDavis]

¬¬ ...

[Dongie]

Exactly.

[IslaTheWitch]

there is or there are? :D

[NathanDavis]

@IslaTheWitch "los son..."

this one will trick you...

[IslaTheWitch]

lmao :D

[Julie_TS]

The proper usage here would be 'is'.

Typically, singular nouns use 'is', plural use 'are'. The bike is over there. The bikes are over there.

Numbers, while they represent a multiple quantity, are considered singular and as such use 'is'.

[purplepoppy]

Nine plus five is
Nine and five are

Is and are can be confusing for learners because many other languages use the same word for both. It's why you hear phrases such as, "is you going.."

[KostasKouvalis]

And Brits would say "9+5 BE 13"😂

[7Phoenix7]

Nine plus five is fourteen.

Lol

[Jennz6]

That’s what I said

[Flower7]

The first one because once the two items listed are combined by adding, they are now only one item, so a singular verb should be used.

[Iron_Man]

None are you don’t put capital letters during the middle of a sentence. You put it at the beginning. Sometimes I put it in the middle to make a statement though

[DeeDeeDeVour]

The sentence using "is" as the verb is the correct sentence.

[Garud]

I don't know English too much. Just bare bones. I feel like IS sits perfect here.

[Garud]

I had noticed that 9 + 5 = 14
But I did not interrupt because I thought you wanted to check whether people answered what was asked or what was not asked. That is, do people say only as much as they are asked or tell extra.
Indian schools don't really encourage us to say extra things.

[Jennz6]

You should work on your arithmetic skills and then grammar

[Jennz6]

I’m not going to vote on the poll until you get the arithmetic correct.

[WindAtMyBack]

'Is' is how it's always said. When it's always said a certain way that automatically makes it correct.

[KostasKouvalis]

I've always heard it said as "IS", but now you've got me second guessing myself.

But it should be "IS". "Are 13" just doesn't sound right.

[purplepoppy]

With grammar, the rule is, if it sounds right, it is right.

[KostasKouvalis]

Or maybe they're just shit at math😂
You're lucky the bitch from the Rome vs Athens post didn't see this. She would've had a field day with you😂

[purplepoppy]

I told her Rome and Athens were the same place and they used to be in Europe. She didn't even notice

[KostasKouvalis]

@purplepoppy I guess she's busy with her boyfriend who shares a name with an iconic British song.

[msc545]

The subject "Nine plus five" refers to a mathematical sum, which is considered singular. Therefore, the verb "is" is correct.

[Caroline91]

How about: Nine plus five is FOURTEEN?

[7Phoenix7]

I love how you put the emphasis on fourteen 😉

[davidronald]

Nine and five is a single statement. So the use of 'is' is correct. Nine plus five gives you two different figures so the use of 'are' is correct.

[katiesmuff]

I think is would be the correct answer

[ArrowheadSW]

The sum of the two is a singular.

[sage2021]

Nine plus five equals 14

[dreamstar72]

I say both could be correct with a “? mark”

[douride2]

Actually 9+5 =14

[Bricealan]

Nine plus five are fourteen (14)

[ReesesThins2]

Nine plus five is 10.

[beefcakebradybatson]

Whoops, think I whiffed !!!

[Ironco]

Both sentences are incorrect.

[Jerre]

I chose #1

[Jerre]

@AviatorTom Thank you for the Like

[Dongie]

Are.

[Dongie]

It's actually 14

[Dongie]

Yeah...

[Dongie]

I always thought 2 plus 2 was fuckin 45