why it uses "is"but not "are"
there is a sentence i thought so strange in my english book：
Cloning plants is straightforward while cloning animals is complicated.
plants are plural,right?shouldnt the verb be in the plural?

Question

why it uses "is"but not "are"
there is a sentence i thought so strange in my english book：
Cloning plants is straightforward while cloning animals is complicated.
plants are plural,right?shouldnt  the verb be in the plural?

Answer

Cloning plants is straightforward.
Cloning (of) plants is straightforward.

Cloning = the act of cloning. It is the subject of the sentence.
Plants = the object of the act of cloning.

So you could simplify the sentence: Cloning is straightforward.

Cloning is singular so it takes a singular verb.

Answer

Because the subject is cloning and not plants.
It is the fact of cloning wich is straightfoward.

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