<p>I have a question about the noun-verb agreement</p>
<p>here is a question form the CB blue book</p>
<p>(Introducing) new ideas and replacing (old ones) (is) always a highly controversial matter, (especially when) there is already tension between an older and a younger generatioin.</p>
<p>since introducing and replacing are connected by and, it then should be a compound noun,which is to be followed by are.</p>
<p>but in this case, it says " a highly controversial matter"
then you should use is?????</p>
<p>and can anyone explain how to determing the form of verb ? by following the subject or the object?</p>
<p>This is a very confusing example to be sure. In this case, the very is a form of the verb "to be", and therefore a linking verb. So the word "matter" is a predicate nominative (not a direct object) that has to agree with the subject. Since "matter" is singular, the verb has to agree. The subject is confusing because it seems like a compound subject, but I think the argument is that "Introducing" and "replacing" are part of the same, single, inseparable action. (I could be wrong about that...)</p>
<p>Pretty annoying, right? If the two subjects connected by "and" are clearly separate gerunds, the verb becomes plural: "Surfing and skydiving are exciting." However, if the action is combined into a single idea, the verb is singular: "Jumping and landing is fun." That's a bad example, but I hope you get the point...</p>