Rewriting a slogan

Posted by R. Berg on August 30, 2002

In Reply to: Re: Here are the news? posted by ESC on August 30, 2002

: : : : : : : : The only thing we overlook ARE wide open spaces.

: : : : : : : : The only thing we overlook IS wide open spaces.

: : : : : : : : Paging R. Berg. Which is correct? The grammar mavens are divided on this question. The sentence is for a proposed customer service ad with a visual pun -- a scenic overlook.

: : : : : : : IS is correct. The noun that governs is "thing," the subject of the sentence.

: : : Shouldn't it be the only THINGS we overlook ARE wide open spaces. And why doesn't the newsreader say "Here ARE the News"?

: : It could be "the only things . . . are," but it needn't be. Because, just before the previous commercial, an announcer didn't say "The news are next."

: I think you've got a winner. The only things we overlook are wide open spaces.

It could also be "We overlook nothing but wide open spaces" or some other variation.