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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
English in UK
Plurality
When we talk about "a few", "a lot" or "a number of", are we talking singular or plural?
Should we say, for example, that "there are a lot of people..(whatever)", or "there is a lot of
people..(whatever)"?
To my mind "a" suggests the singular, but common useage seems to imply otherwise.
Very likely this has been discussed before, but I've only recently discovered this newsgroup :-)
TIA -
Frank Erskine
Should we say, for example, that "there are a lot of people..(whatever)", or "there is a lot of
people..(whatever)"?
To my mind "a" suggests the singular, but common useage seems to imply otherwise.
Very likely this has been discussed before, but I've only recently discovered this newsgroup :-)
TIA -
Frank Erskine
Top answer
[/nq] I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a lot'. But I think I almost always say 'there are a lot of people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech. Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ...
- [/nq] I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a lot'.
- But I think I almost always say 'there are a lot of people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech.
- Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ...
- "!
- Ian
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3 Answers
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[nq:1]Should we say, for example, that "there are a lot of people..(whatever)", or "there is a lot of people..(whatever)"?[/nq]
I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a lot'.
But I think I almost always say 'there are a lot of people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech.
Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ... "!
I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a lot'.
But I think I almost always say 'there are a lot of people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech.
Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ... "!
00
[nq:1]When we talk about "a few", "a lot" or "a number of", are we talking singular or plural? Should we ... seems to imply otherwise. Very likely this has been discussed before, but I've only recently discovered this newsgroup :-) TIA[/nq]
Maria?
A lot is undeniably singular but people are indisputably plural.
US (or, as they like to say, American) "English" generally would use t
Maria?
A lot is undeniably singular but people are indisputably plural.
US (or, as they like to say, American) "English" generally would use t
00
[nq:2]Should we say, for example, that "there are a lot of people..(whatever)", or "there is a lot of people..(whatever)"?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a ... people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech. Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ... "![/nq]
The phrase a "a lot of" (or also "lots of") is
[nq:1]I'd think that "a lot" is a single item, literally speaking, so it should be right to say 'is a ... people " in my daily casual, unthinking speech. Maybe I'll stick to "there are loads of people who ... "![/nq]
The phrase a "a lot of" (or also "lots of") is
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