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Reegis Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

It is said that the breakaway faction are a group of radical religious fundamentalists.

Hello.


Is the sentence below correct?

It is said that the breakaway faction are a group of radical religious fundamentalists.


Especially, can we treat 'faction' as either plural or singular similiarly like, for example, 'team'?

  

Top answer

Reegis Is the sentence below correct? Because both 'faction' and 'group' are singular, 'are' is grammatically discordant; it should be 'is'. What has come into play for the writer is notional concord.

— Mister Micawber

  • Reegis Is the sentence below correct?
  • Because both 'faction' and 'group' are singular, 'are' is grammatically discordant; it should be 'is'.
  • What has come into play for the writer is notional concord.
  • Reegis can we treat 'faction' as either plural or singular similiarly like, for example, 'team'?
  • the breakaway faction are radical religious fundamentalists.
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5 Answers
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ReegisIs the sentence below correct?

Because both 'faction' and 'group' are singular, 'are' is grammatically discordant; it should be 'is'. What has come into play for the writer is notional concord.

Reegiscan we treat 'faction' as either plural or singular similiarly like, for example, 'team'?

No, we cannot, but

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Thanks Mister Micawber!

Mister Micawberuncertainty reigns with this kind of sentence

Could you please explain what you meant here?
I understand that 'faction' is still singular, but 'fundamentalists' are of course plural, so no matter what form of the verb (is/are) we use there will be no concord...

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ReegisI understand that 'faction' is still singular, but 'fundamentalists' are of course plural, so no matter what form of the verb (is/are) we use there will be no concord

There you are: that is the uncertainty!

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So what should people do? Avoid such structures? Or pick either 'is' or 'are' and under these cirsumstances both are OK?

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ReegisSo what should people do? Avoid such structures?

Recasting is the wisest course.

ReegisOr pick either 'is' or 'are' and under these cirsumstances both are OK?

You will see both, and without protest raised. Strict grammar says that the verb must agree with the subject not the complement.

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