The LL&L Rumpus Room

Yeah. The English language is messed up. Because then I could argue this:

"Sometimes compound subjects are governed by a sense of unity and by notional agreement take a singular verb: My name and address is printed on the box. His colleague and friend (one person) deserves equal credit. This sense of unity is not simply a stylistic flourish. Using a singular or plural verb changes the meaning of the sentence. Eating garlic and drinking red wine sometimes gives me a headache means that the combination of garlic and red wine can cause a headache. With a plural verb (give), the sentence implies that garlic and red wine act separately; either can bring a headache."

In the example that Maharani gives it fits. And even though your example uses the specific word "pair" this paragraph still pertains. And this is taken from the same site, only a different section linked in the section you highlighted. http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/060.html#SUBJECTANDV1

Looks like it may be one of those circular arguments that can only be solved by completely rewording the sentence to make the argument moot.



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         I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.