WAS or WERE (and WHY)....WHAT IS THE SUBJECT?

[emtroxx]

Also advised was/were a healthy diet, daily exercise, two aspirin, washing the dishes, and making the bed.

[emtroxx]

HEY YOU GUYS...IS ANYBODY THERE? PLEASE HELP ME! WAS THIS A STUPID QUESTION? OR A QUESTION THAT CAN'T BE ANSWERED? OR IS MY QUESTION UNCLEAR? HELP!!!!!

[emtroxx]

tHE CONFOUNDING SENTENCE IS AS FOLLOWS:

Also advised [was/were] a healthy diet, daily exercise, two aspirins, washing the dishes, and making the bed.

I'M HAVING TROUBLE DISTINGUISHING WHERE THE SUBJECT IS HERE!

[Pete]

tHE CONFOUNDING SENTENCE IS AS FOLLOWS:

Also advised [was/were] a healthy diet, daily exercise, two aspirins, washing the dishes, and making the bed.

I'M HAVING TROUBLE DISTINGUISHING WHERE THE SUBJECT IS HERE!
The correct verb is were. All of the words that follow the verb make a compound subject. Since it is compound, i.e. several things connected with "and", the subject is plural.

[emtroxx]

I TRULY DO HATE TO SOUND RETARDED, BUT CAN I ASSUME FROM YOUR ANSWER THAT IF "AND" WAS REMOVED FROM THE EQUATION I COULD THEN SAFELY USE WAS AS THE VERB? OR AM I JUST TRYING TOO HARD TO USE WAS HERE?

THANKS SO MUCH, PETE!

[emtroxx]

I TRULY DO HATE TO SOUND RETARDED, BUT CAN I ASSUME FROM YOUR ANSWER THAT IF "AND" WAS REMOVED FROM THE EQUATION I COULD THEN SAFELY USE WAS AS THE VERB? OR AM I JUST TRYING TOO HARD TO USE WAS HERE?

THANKS SO MUCH, PETE!

[Pete]

I TRULY DO HATE TO SOUND RETARDED, BUT CAN I ASSUME FROM YOUR ANSWER THAT IF "AND" WAS REMOVED FROM THE EQUATION I COULD THEN SAFELY USE WAS AS THE VERB? OR AM I JUST TRYING TOO HARD TO USE WAS HERE?

THANKS SO MUCH, PETE!
I don't think so. Generally you need a conjunction in such a list, so I don't like the sentence with "and" omitted, but even if you do leave out "and", I'd say the subject is still plural.

Since the subject in English so often comes before the verb, when the verb comes first, it is hard to go by "what sounds right". It is best to analyze the sentence logically to identify the subject, determine whether it is singular or plural, and then choose the proper verb form. I'd say that when people are speaking informally and not thinking in depth about grammar, this is one place where even native speakers often use the wrong verb form, but that doesn't make it correct.


Note: If you really want to use "was" and still be correct, try a singular subject and connect the rest with a propositional phrase:
- Also advised was a healthy diet, along with daily exercise, …