My knowledge of the US and British history is/are equally poor.

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T. Z. - 07 Oct 2004 20:14 GMT

1. My knowledge of the US and British history is
equally poor.

2. My knowledge of the US and British history are
equally poor. <- I'd use this one.

Are both correct?

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John Hall - 07 Oct 2004 21:36 GMT

>1. My knowledge of the US and British history is
>equally poor.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Are both correct?

No. Only the first is correct. The subject in this sentence is
"knowledge", which is singular, not plural. By the way, we wouldn't
include the "the", but would say: "My knowledge of US and British
history is equally poor".

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John Hall
"I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly,
will hardly mind anything else."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

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Steve Hayes - 08 Oct 2004 05:44 GMT

>1. My knowledge of the US and British history is
>equally poor.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Are both correct?

No, only the first. Knowledge is not countable - yet.

Behaviour also wasn't countable until the psycho types got hold of it.

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Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

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Discussion Groups / British English / October 2004

My knowledge of the US and British history is/are equally poor.