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10.20.2006
Country Grammer
So I'm reading about the exploding population in northern Tarrant County and come across this sentence:
A significant number of houses is also being built in southwest Fort Worth, as well as in the central city, including in and around downtown.
I feel like an idiot. It seems like that should be "are" but I think it has something to do with a prepositional phrase. But I have no idea.
I'm spending the rest of the night diagramming sentences while smoking marihoochie and playing bongo drums.
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17 comments:
That's old news, Barry. In an interview just a couple of weeks ago with Matthew on tv...that incident came up and he had no problem saying that it was all true. UMMMM, I wish I could have been there with him.
Are you going to be naked? Because he was naked.
Rusty White, Kinky Friedman and Willie Nelson only wish that was a picture of them
The correct word is "is".
Is is correct, related to the word "number"... "of houses" is a prepositional phrase...
Regardless it still sounds dumb.
Barry, you are right. It should be "are". When we say "a number of", it's like saying "a lot of", "many", etc.
Would you say "a lot of houses is being built?"
Now if it said "the number of houses being built is ...", that would be singular. In this case, "the number" is the subject. But in the original case, the subject is "houses". "A number of" is essentially an adjective that modifies "houses". "Houses" is plural, hence, "houses are ...".
11:03 I sure hope you're not a teacher.
11:03, incorrect. By your reasoning, you would say "a plane full of people are landing at the airport.
just ask who or what. who are what is? a number of houses is.
By the way, Barry. You mispelled "Grammar"
"A plane full of people is landing." This is correct because it is the plane which is landing.
"A buttload of people are getting out of the plane." The buttload isn't what's getting out of the plane. The people are. Again, this is the same as:
"Many people are getting off the plane."
"A lot of people are getting off the plane."
Seriously, are you claiming that you'd say "A lot of people is getting off the plane?"
Hoo boy, yee haw, a lot of people shure is having trouble with this.
Here are some references backing up Barry's suspicion that "are" is called for in that sentence:
The Columbia Guide to Standard American English
The American Heritage® Book of English Usage
You were doing fine 11:03, till you got to subject of the sentence. And object of a preposition (houses) can never be in the nominitive case (necessary to be a subject of a sentence) But you are correct that number can be a collective noun calling for the plural verb. "When it doesn't sound right" is a red flag warning you to rephrase the sentence.
Russ Martin Show has salvia more potent than cannibus sativa L, try it Barry and report back????
We wander what it does against the twelve pack of Coors Light.
It really sounds like "ebonics" to me !
whew realy give a flyin chit"...!:"?....,,,,,,,,,,
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