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Little Girl Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Majority + singular/plural verb (connotations)

Hi, experts.

Could you please explain the difference(s) here, if so? Thanks.

a clear majority of students is a victim of...
a clear majority of students are a victim of...
a clear majority of students are victims of...
  

Top answer

Little Girl Could you please explain the difference(s) here, 'A majority of' is an awkward phrase to begin with, because it leads to conundrums like yours. I suggest that you stick with 'most': ' most students are victims '. Since you are speaking of human tragedies, however, I suggest that you adopt the plural in any case.

— Mister Micawber

  • Little Girl Could you please explain the difference(s) here, 'A majority of' is an awkward phrase to begin with, because it leads to conundrums like yours.
  • I suggest that you stick with 'most': ' most students are victims '.
  • Since you are speaking of human tragedies, however, I suggest that you adopt the plural in any case.
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3 Answers
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Little GirlCould you please explain the difference(s) here,
'A majority of' is an awkward phrase to begin with, because it leads to conundrums like yours. I suggest that you stick with 'most': 'most students are victims'. Since you are speaking of human tragedies, however, I suggest that you adopt the plural in any case.
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Thank you, Mister Micawber. I do acknowledge the fact that there's always another way to say something. In this case, however, I'm particularly keen on knowing how the connotation may differ in each instance. I once read somewhere that the British treat collective nouns as plurals, while Americans as singulars. I feel, though, it's not only a cultural difference; the meaning is slightly, if not by
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Little Girl Please let me know what you think now.
I think what I expressed in my sentence above.
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