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Which of the following is correct?
Does the is/are depend on the total number of things in the list, or only on the thing immediately following the is/are?

There is 1 apple and 1 orange available.
There are 1 apple and 1 orange available.

Also, would it make a difference if one would put the is/are near the end, like so?

1 apple and 1 orange is available.
1 apple and 1 orange are available.

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  • @PeterShor I had a look at the linked question, and while the original question seems to be the same problem as I have, I struggle to understand the accepted answer. Does the is/are depend on the following component of the list, or the total amount?
    – Christian Schnorr
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 19:09
  • I reread the linked accepted answer, and it's very difficult to understand. What I think it's saying (for a list with the first element singular) is that formally, it should be plural. But informally, more English speakers actually use the singular than use the plural.
    – Peter Shor
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 19:20
  • @PeterShor What would you chose for a mobile app then? Plural or singular?
    – Christian Schnorr
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 19:22
  • I'd recommend going with singular.
    – Peter Shor
    Commented Aug 28, 2014 at 19:23

1 Answer 1

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This one is right:

There is 1 apple and 1 orange available

This is wrong:

There are 1 apple and 1 orange available.

I would personally say

There is an apple and an orange available.

This is now wrong

1 apple and 1 orange is available

This is right (almost):

1 apple and 1 orange are available.

But again, I would say

An apple and an orange are available.

These are both correct:

There is an apple and 2 oranges available.
There are 2 apples and an orange available

So it depends on the number of objects the is/are is referring to first.

2 apples and an orange are available.
An apples and 2 oranges are available.

When it is at the end, it refers to the total number of objects.

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