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Bmojtaba Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

To be

Which one is correct?

'There were/was a finite number of explanations for the unusual reactions'

Thanks
  

Top answer

the number of ... IS/WAS a number of ... ARE/WERE There were a finite number of ....

— CalifJim

  • the number of ...
  • IS/WAS a number of ...
  • ARE/WERE There were a finite number of ....
  • OK?
  • CJ
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8 Answers
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the number of ... IS/WAS
a number of ... ARE/WERE

There were a finite number of ....

OK? Emotion: smile
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SO the article 'the' goes with sigular form and indefinite articles go with the plural forms ,right?
what about following one?

e.g 'There was an inordinately large number of whales off the coast'
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bmojtabaSO the article 'the' goes with singular form and indefinite articles go with the plural forms ,right?
Yes, but only when you're working with the word "number (of)".
bmojtabaThere was? an inordinately l
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CalifJimSo do you think was is correct?
That's why i am asking ,the latter is written in a TOEFL book
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bmojtabaThere are more examples like that in the book. Here's another one:
How very strange! I am amazed!

I don't know of any other grammar book that advises that.

CJ
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bmojtabaIs there a finite number of stars in the universe?
This should be "Are there ...?"

See http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nounverb-agreement-with-number/

There you will find that it is correct to write
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Anyways thank you so much for your answers ,you have helped me a lot with my grammatical issues over the past few years.
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