cvs commit: www/en about.sgml

[John Baldwin]

On Tuesday 07 November 2006 15:16, Daniel Gerzo wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Tuesday, November 7, 2006, 8:54:23 PM, you wrote:
> 
> > [ Not a native speaker ]
> 
> > On Tuesday 07 November 2006 19:55, Ceri Davies wrote:
> >> On Tue, Nov 07, 2006 at 04:54:31PM +0000, Daniel Gerzo wrote:
> >> > danger      2006-11-07 16:54:31 UTC
> >> >
> >> >   FreeBSD doc repository
> >> >
> >> >   Modified files:
> >> >     en                   about.sgml
> >> >   Log:
> >> >   - improve grammar
> >> >
> >> > | @@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
> >> > |                   including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, magnetic 
tape,
> >> > |                   an MS-DOS® partition, or if you have a network
> >> > |                   connection, you can install it <i>directly</i> over
> >> > | -                 anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need is
> >> > | +                 anonymous FTP or NFS.  All you need are
> >> > |                   <a
> >> > |                    
> >> > | href="&base;/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install.html">these
> >> > | directions</a>.</p>
> >>
> >> This change isn't correct - "these directions" is the object of this
> >> sentence and the verb "is" should agree with the subject "all you
> >> need", which is singular.
> 
> > I was confused by this, can you tell me if the following sounds right?
> 
> I'm confused too, it sounds with "are" better to me, but I might be
> wrong. English fluents around, please step up and tell us what's the
> correct form of this sentence?

Hmm, I think 'are' is correct.  Compare these two sentences:

These directions are all you need.

These directions is all you need.

If you flip it that way, 'are' is obviously correct, and you are using a 
linking verb to basically express equality (these directions == all [you 
need]).  In this case you are linking 'all' with the object.  Thus:

All you need is a green car.  (all == car is singular)

All you need are two green cars and a stick of dynamite for some fun.
  (all == cars + dynamite is plural)

-- 
John Baldwin