Singular or Plural?

jruby said:

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but it's driving me crazy. If you're writing this sentence, should it be: "That mistake, and the result, belong in the past" or "That mistake, and the result, belongs in the past"?

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Drop the commas. "And the result" is not parenthetical.
"That mistake and the result belong in the past."

I agree with Peter completely. Just want to go on record here!

Maryn, keeping track

As mentioned, commas unnecessary. The sentence doesn't differ in structure from:

The dog and cat belong outside.

caw

jruby said:

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but it's driving me crazy. If you're writing this sentence, should it be: "That mistake, and the result, belong in the past" or "That mistake, and the result, belongs in the past"?

Click to expand...

And I'll respectfully disagree with the previous responders.

As written, including the comma delimited dependent phrase, the correct verb is 'belongs".

"That mistake, and the result, belongs in the past."

V/R
Duncan

result singular

The mistake AND the result = two things. Two things + one verb = plural verb. Belong. Doesn't matter if there are commas or not.

The mistake, or maybe just its egregious result, belongs in the past.
Mistake OR result = one or the other = one thing + one verb = singular verb.

The mistake, its results having turned out so horrible, belongs in the past.
Mistake + verb = singular verb = belongs. Results + different verb = singular verb = having turned out

The mistake, with its horrible results, belongs in the past.
Mistake inclusive of horrible results = one thing = singular verb = belongs. Yes, I know it seems like the 'with' and the 'and' would be interchangeable, but grammatically they're not. Multiple things joined by AND are plural; single things modified by a WITH clause remain singular. Another example:
Ann goes to the movies.
Ann and her brother go to the movies.
Ann, with her brother, goes to the movies. (Not: Ann, with her brother, go to the movies.)
Every day, either Ann or her brother goes to the movies. (Okay, if you put 'go' in there it wouldn't sound *that* horrible.)

I believe it also works this way.

That mistake--and the result--belongs in the past.

Keep the commas. The sentence needs them.

I agree either commas or em-dashes to emphasise that the result of the mistake is included. I'd alter the wording slightly:

"That mistake — and its result — both belong in the past."