Hello,
In the two sentences below
- ‘Get the mop, quick!’
- There are one patatoe and two onions in the recipe’.
is ‘quick’ used correctly? I would have used ‘quickly’ instead.
Is the verb ‘are’ the correct form or should it be ‘is’?
Thank you!
I am having some doubts about the use of the verb in the 2nd sentence because I once saw on this website that the correct way is to say :
“There is some fish and some rice on the table”.
Is it the same situation?
Thank you again.
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Stejar:
Just a gentle reminder that the singular is “potato.”
The plural is “potatoes.”
Don’t feel bad.
About twenty years ago, the vice-president of the United States of America visited a school and told the children that the singular was “potatoe.”
He is still living, so I do not want to mention his name. That would be very unkind.
James
Thank you for your very funny remark:)
In fact, I knew how to spell ‘patato’ because it’s the same with ‘tomato’ and usually nouns ending in ‘o’ get ‘es’ in order to form the plural. But I’m glad I was not careful enough and made this mistake because like that I found out the funny story about the vice-president of the USA 
Thanks again!
‘Quick’ is quite acceptable as an exclamatory remark there.
‘Quickly’ would, of course, also be correct.
In (2) then it is not clear-cut and some people would accept both.
There is one potato and (there are) two onions in the recipe. ← this assumes the omitted verb. (It’s the correct formal use.)
There are one potato and two onions in the recipe. ← This counts the three items as individual things, requiring the plural.
There are two onions and one potato in the recipe. ← this would avoid the confusion.
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Stejar:
You have already received the answers to all of your questions.
I just wanted to remind you of something:
In conversational American English, native speakers will accept this “secret”:
If you are not sure whether to use “is” or “are,” just use a CONTRACTION:
There’s one potato and two onions in the receipe.
James
P.S. For some reason, contractions are acceptable in conversation:
There are 50 American states. (Excellent)
There is 50 American states. (Horrible!)
There’s 50 American states. (OK)