Lots of money is or lots of money are

Question

Lots of water is  ORLots of water areWhich one is correct?Lots of books  is ORLots of books areWhich one is correct?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

First, which do you choose, Deborah—and why?

BillJ · Answer

The key to this is that the non-count quantificational noun “lots” is ‘number transparent’ which means that the form of the verb is determined not by the number of the head of the noun phrase, i.e. the plural noun “lots”, but by the number of the noun in the of PP complement:

(1) [Lots of water] is available.

(2) [Lots

(1) [Lots of water] is available.

(2) [Lots of books] are available.

In (1) and (2) the plural noun “lots” is the head of the whole bracketed noun phrase, but in (1) “water” is a singular noun so the verb is the singular “is”. In (2) “books” is plural” so the verb is plural “are”. Here are two more examples:

(3) [Lots of work] was done.

(4) [Lots of errors] were made.

Again, in (3) and (4) the head noun is the plural "lots", but in (3) “work” is singular (just like "water" is), so the verb is the singular “was”. And in (4) “errors” is plural (just like "books" is) so the plural verb “were” is required.

Other non-count quantificational nouns include "lot", "plenty", remainder" and "number", and the colloquial items "bags", "heaps, "loads", "oodles" and "stacks".

Lots of money is or lots of money are

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