Student Question

Is "wish" or "wishes" grammatically correct in the sentence: "Jasper Research, Ltd. and its affiliates ("Jasper") WISH to extend the term of the contract."?

Quick answer:

The correct word in the sentence is "wish" because "Jasper Research, Ltd. and its affiliates" is a compound subject, making it plural. In English, plural subjects require the plural form of the verb, which is "wish" without an "s". Conversely, singular subjects use the verb form with an "s", such as "wishes". Therefore, "wish" is appropriate for plural subjects like "Jasper Research, Ltd. and its affiliates".

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The correct word is wish.  You are referring to two different subjects, Jasper Research, Ltd. AND its affiliates.  Because of the AND, you have plural subjects.  So, the verb needs to be plural.  And with verbs, it is a bit backwards: if the verb is plural, it doesn't have an "s" on the end, whereas if it is singular, it does.  For example, "The cat drinks from the cup"--cat is singular, and the verb drinks has an "s" on the end.  However, if you have the sentence "The cats drink from the cup"--it is the opposite.  It is a plural noun (cats), and the verb drink does not have an "s" on the end.  That's how I remember it.  If you have plural subjects doing the action, or the verb, it is backwards from what you would think, and there is no "s" on the verb.  So, in your sentence, because there are two subjects joined by the conjunction "and", you need the plural verb, which in this case, is "wish".

I hope that those thoughts help a bit; the English language is very tricky and confusing, that's for sure!  Good luck.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial