"Along with" but also "and"

Question

Here is the original sentence:

In early 1992, Wayne Calloway, PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO, along with the presidents of each of the company’s restaurants, and Ken Stevens, the senior vice president of strategic planning, was (they WERE evaluating?) evaluating two opportunities..

I think this is wrong because there is an "and" after the "along with" prepositional phrase.

So, if we break down the sentence:

In early 1992, {Wayne Calloway, PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO}, {along with the presidents of each of the company’s restaurants}, {and Ken Stevens, the senior vice president of strategic planning}, was evaluating two opportunities...

The "and" seems to leave us with the noun structure of: 
“Wayne Calloway, PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO and Ken Stevens, the senior vice president of strategic planning were evaluating two opportunities...?

Thoughts?

Robbie Goodwin · Answer

You're looking at that "and" from one perspective, partly because the original sentence was so loosely written.

Rather than interpreting the “and” as separating Wayne and the presidents from Ken, why not just as easily join the presidents with Ken, opposing the combination to Wayne?

Bread · Answer

In early 1992 Wayne Calloway, PepsiCo’s chairman and CEO, along with the presidents of each of the company’s restaurants and Ken Stevens, the senior vice president of strategic planning, were evaluating two opportunities.

In early 1992 Wayne Calloway, PepsiCo's chairman and CEO,
along with the presidents of each of the company's restaurants and Ken Stevens, the senior vice president of strategic planning,
were evaluating two opportunities.

All that was needed was two drop the first and fourth commas, and use were instead of was (for a compound subject).

"Along with" but also "and"

2 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question