You have one red pepper and one green pepper. Would the following phrase be correct to express this?
Red and green peppers.
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1 Answer
Technically yes, but if you said that without context I would assume that there were at least two of each.
More precise phrasings include:
- Peppers: one red, one green.
- Peppers: a red and a green.
- A red pepper and a green pepper.
- A red and a green pepper. (conversational)
- Two peppers: red and green.
For completeness, do not say this:
A red and green pepper
That would be a single pepper that was both red and green.
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Thank you, DCShnnon. It is a helpful comprehensive list. How about when you have three items, do you use the connector "and" with all the items or only at the end?– Joe KimCommented May 16, 2015 at 5:09
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Usually like this: "a red, a green and a yellow pepper." Or: "a red pepper, a green pepper and a yellow pepper." Commented May 16, 2015 at 5:54
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Thank you, Brian. I meant conversationally. Do you speak as you write?– Joe KimCommented May 16, 2015 at 6:46
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@JoeKim I would probably say "a red, a green, and a yellow pepper". If I was writing something somewhat formal, like for school or business, I would probably write what Brian has, or "three peppers: red, green, and yellow". Commented May 16, 2015 at 21:33