What I like best are apples vs What I like best is apples

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "What I like best are apples" implies that apples are the things you like the most among several options. On the other hand, "What I like best is apples" suggests that apples are your favorite thing overall.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 768 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It implies that apples are the things you like the most among several options.

"What I like best are apples"

This phrase is used when you are expressing a preference for a specific item among a group of items. The verb 'are' agrees with the plural noun 'apples.'

Examples:

What I like best are apples, oranges, and bananas.
The things I like best are books, movies, and music.
Among all the desserts, what I like best are cakes and cookies.

Show examples from the web [+]

You've been coming here for weeks, putting the best apples on top of the barrel.
My wife tells me you've got the best apple pie in Huntington.
We won best apple fritter in Modesto for, like, ten years in a row, so...
So it's not necessary, thank God, that the Fowler apple is the best apple in the world.
The other day, I... turned the wrong way in the street, and discovered that Busby's... has the world's best apple fritters.
The best winter apples far and wide.
So it's not necessary, thank God, that the Fowler apple is the best apple in the world.
How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?
Over the centuries, Asturian farmers have selected varieties from trees obtained from seed, without grafting, choosing the most productive, best suited to the environment and producing the best quality cider apples.
The Women I Like Best Are The Hasidic Women.
The firstmoves are what I like best.
What I like best is a French kiss... when I'm all dressed.
But what I like best is just doing nothing.
What I like best about him is his manliness.
History's what I like best.
That's what I like best.
What I like best is stuffed roast hare
That's what I like best about you, baby.
You know what I like best about Christmas?
I was saying, what I like best about trees is that, on a moonlit night you can lie under them, - with the leaves gently blowing...

Alternatives:

What I like best are the red shoes.
What I like best are the blue dress and the green skirt.
What I like best are swimming, hiking, and cycling.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. It suggests that apples are your favorite thing overall.

"What I like best is apples"

This phrase is used when you are expressing a singular preference for one specific item. The verb 'is' agrees with the singular noun 'apples.'

Examples:

What I like best is apples, not oranges.
The thing I like best is reading.
Among all the fruits, what I like best is apples.

Show examples from the web [+]

You've been coming here for weeks, putting the best apples on top of the barrel.
My wife tells me you've got the best apple pie in Huntington.
We won best apple fritter in Modesto for, like, ten years in a row, so...
So it's not necessary, thank God, that the Fowler apple is the best apple in the world.
The other day, I... turned the wrong way in the street, and discovered that Busby's... has the world's best apple fritters.
The best winter apples far and wide.
What I like best is a French kiss... when I'm all dressed.
But what I like best is just doing nothing.
So it's not necessary, thank God, that the Fowler apple is the best apple in the world.
How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?
What I like best is stuffed roast hare
Over the centuries, Asturian farmers have selected varieties from trees obtained from seed, without grafting, choosing the most productive, best suited to the environment and producing the best quality cider apples.
What I like best is me going to visit you... and you saying, "How about a smackerel of honey?"
But the part I like best is the end.
The firstmoves are what I like best.
What I like best about him is his manliness.
History's what I like best.
The time of day I like best is just after sunset
That's what I like best.
That's what I like best about you, baby.

Alternatives:

What I like best is the blue car.
What I like best is swimming.
What I like best is playing the guitar.

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What I like best are apples vs What I like best is apples