Subject–Verb Agreement, Again

Here’s a grammatical error by a professor of international relations — in the very first paragraph of a comment article, yet missed by ST’s sharp-eyed editors (Straits Times, 27 October 2008).

In the subordinate clause How the two candidates view the world are starkly at odds, the subject is the embedded noun clause how the two candidates view the world.

Since noun clauses are treated as singular, and verbs agree with subjects, the linking verb should be is, not are.