Extensive planning, stringent testing and uncompromising quality control gives our customers confidence in our products. Give or gives?

Is it 'give' or 'gives' in this context? The 'give' follows a list of singular items. I would have thought it would only be 'give' if the listed items are plural but a colleague has brought it to my attention.

e.g. '...stringent testing and uncompromising quality controls give our customers...'

e.g. '...stringent testing and uncompromising quality control gives our customers...'

Solution 1:

If you're saying that each one of the items gives confidence, then use plural agreement:

• ...stringent testing and uncompromising quality controls give our customers....

If you're saying that the confidence comes from the gestalt of the three items together, use singular agreement:

• ...stringent testing and uncompromising quality controls gives our customers....

You can consider this a generalisation of the treatment of compound nouns:

Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

But note these exceptions:

Exceptions:

Breaking and entering is against the law.

The bed and breakfast was charming.

In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.

- grammarbook.com