A few days ago
sherri27tx

which sentence is correct? 2 apples plus 2 apples don’t equal 5 or 2 apples plus 2 apples doesn’t equal 5?

My friend and I are both tutors, and I think the former contraction is correct (don’t), but she insists the correct answer is doesn’t. I wasn’t able to find this information in my material. Please let me know which answer is correct. Thank you.

Top 9 Answers
A few days ago
dcc045

Favorite Answer

Don’t is correct.
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A few days ago
bluesky
the correct sentence is the second one.

the focus of this sentence is on the total sum of the 2 groups of apple, not the amount of the apple themselves. to make it logical, think about a similar, but “positive” sentence such as: two apples plus two apples equals to 4 apples. hope it make sense.

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A few days ago
CHERIE M
2 apples plus 2 apples don’t equal 5
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A few days ago
hayharbr
Both can be correct; if “two apples plus two apples” is considered a problem it’s singular and doesn’t is correct; if they are considered separate amounts then don’t is correct.
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A few days ago
SV
I would say “doesn’t”.

The subject of the verb (to do) is the sum (singular) not the apples (plural). So it’s “does not”, which contracts to “doesn’t”.

To back this up, what if it were in a mathematical context?

2x plus 2x do not equal 5x ?

Or

2x plus 2x does not equal 5x ?

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7 years ago
Anonymous
doesnt
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A few days ago
fijibabie
I would say neither. How about inserting does not.
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A few days ago
Manz
don’t
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A few days ago
just me again
doesn’t
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