Sentence Correction

does "combined with" require a plural verb, as in

"X combined with Y create (or creates?) an advantage."

Thanks!

Creates.

One combined with 2 is three.
One combined with 2 creates three.

I'm not sure your example makes sense. Take the following sentence, for example:

"His strength combined with his coordination make (or makes) him a fierce competitor."

"make" or "makes"?

awilhelm wrote:I'm not sure your example makes sense. Take the following sentence, for example:

"His strength combined with his coordination make (or makes) him a fierce competitor."

"make" or "makes"?

probably we need to use the rules for verb subject agrrement...

combined with x can be treated as a middlestuff.. so could be removed

but i am not sure.~~

awilhelm wrote:I'm not sure your example makes sense. Take the following sentence, for example:

"His strength combined with his coordination make (or makes) him a fierce competitor."

"make" or "makes"?

Makes. Strength makes him a fierce competitor. If the word was "strengths," it would be plural. I'm thinking that "with..." creates a preposition, making it a modifier, and not part of the subject itself.

IMO it will depend on the order of X.

As per Manhattan GMAT...only case when two subjects combined together become plural is when they are combined with additive clause "AND"...else the verb is governed by the order of X. Verb IMO is independent of order of Y in this case.

So both the below are correct:

a) His "strength" combined with his coordination "makes" him a fierce competitor
b) His "strengths" combined with his coordination "make" him a fierce competitor

goelmohit2002 wrote:IMO it will depend on the order of X.

As per Manhattan GMAT...only case when two subjects combined together become plural is when they are combined with additive clause "AND"...else the verb is governed by the order of X. Verb IMO is independent of order of Y in this case.

So both the below are correct:

a) His "strength" combined with his coordination "makes" him a fierce competitor
b) His "strengths" combined with his coordination "make" him a fierce competitor

Agreed

Agree with Mohit............