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My question is: which one is correct to talk about two figures in my writing?

  1. "Figure A and B are ..."

  2. "Figures A and B are ..."

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Number two is correct. The predicate is "are," which is the predicate for a plural subject. The subject is "figures," which is plural. A and B modify the subject but don't affect its plurality.

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    Coordinated items become plural. You wouldn't say "the cat and the dog is ..."
    – AmI
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 23:00
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"A" And "B" are names of your figures, and so the phrase "A and B" is a compound appositive. See e.g. http://www.qcsd.org/cms/lib04/PA01000005/Centricity/Domain/229/appositives.doc

There are two different figures, so it seems logical to say "Figures A and B..."

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It would be correct to say "Figures A and B are...". An alternative would be to say "Figure A and Figure B are..."

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  • Why the vote to delete?
    – G Tony Jacobs
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 23:50

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