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grammar help again

S

hi please somebody help
I'm baffled here:
Which word is it? Confirms or Confirm?

Clear and well-explained instructions received by a man that confirms that the parcel is sent.

OR

Clear and well-explained instructions received by a man that confirm that the parcel is sent.

thanks in advance
baffled satchi



B

It's the second, because it's the instructions that are doing the confirming, and because they're plural the confirm form has to be as in "they confirm" rather than "it confirms".

S

hi bilbo
AGAIN I am confused by Microsoft Word!!!!
thanks
satchi

ditto what Bilbo said.

P

Yes, the verb must agree always with the subject.

In this case the subject is the instructions, no the man, and hence 'confirm'.

Another example : a group of girls *is* coming, not *are* coming.. for the subject is the group, not the girls.

P

Yes, the verb must agree always with the subject.

In this case the subject is the instructions, no the man, and hence 'confirm'.

Another example : a group of girls *is* coming, not *are* coming.. for the subject is the group, not the girls.

S

thanks everyone!
I have made the change. Also my MS Word uses American English, does anyone know how to turn off that option and put the British version instead? The red and green wavy lines confuse me sometimes.

happy satchi

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