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Liveinjapan Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

There is a pair of chopsticks

There is a pair of chopsticks

There are a pair of chopsticks

I think the second is never correct.

What do you think?

Thanks
LiJ
  

Top answer

Hi, I would use the singular, too. However, since I was not sure whether the second one is ungrammatical, I did a search (British websites only, to reduce the influence of contents written by non-natives). Here are the results: : 349 hits : 1020 hits More than a quarter of the total hits for "there are" ...

— Tanit

  • Hi, I would use the singular, too.
  • However, since I was not sure whether the second one is ungrammatical, I did a search (British websites only, to reduce the influence of contents written by non-natives).
  • Here are the results: : 349 hits : 1020 hits More than a quarter of the total hits for "there are" ...
  • I didn't expect that!
  • Let's wait for a native!
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36 Answers
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Hi,

I would use the singular, too.
However, since I was not sure whether the second one is ungrammatical, I did a search (British websites only, to reduce the influence of contents written by non-natives). Here are the results:

: 349 hits
: 1020 hits

More than a quarter of the total hits for "there are" ... I didn't expect that!
Let's wait for a native!
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Thank you for your opinion and search, Tanit. Emotion: smile
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Hi,
that's a tricky question! Emotion: wink

I think I would say there is a pair of shoes, not "there are". But if I had to put the v
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Liveinjapan
There is a pair of chopsticks. (correct)

There are a pair of chopsticks (wrong)

I think the second is never correct.

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KooyeenHi,
that's a tricky question!

I think I would say there i
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As a learner, we must use the singular here, mustn't we?

Thanks, friends.
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LiveinjapanAs a learner, we must use the singular here, mustn't we?
Hi LiJ,
Yes! I agree with other friends too. 'A pair of' goes better with verbs in the singular form.
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KooyeenI think I would say there is a pair of shoes, not "there are". But if I had to put the verb after, I wouldn't be so sure anymore. A pair of shoes was... were... hmm, I think I would use the singular anyway, on second thought.
Ooops, I wasn't thinking of a context... On third thought, I guess what I said is not true. Considering contexts, I think I w
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Hi Kooyeen

There was a pair of shoes on the floor. (fine)
A pair of shoes was/were left on the kitchen floor. (Use 'was' OR There was a pair of shoes on the kitchen floor.)
A pair of shoes were floating in the river. (Again 'was' is the correct verb, but that will mean that the shoes are a pair. Otherwise, say "Two shoes were floating in the ri
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