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ESL forum >
Ask for help > singular or plural
singular or plural
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Pedro14
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singular or plural
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Happy New Year to everybody!
I�m working on a rephrasing worksheet and I have a question. Which form should I use "There were / was such a small number of people at the party that we went home." I know we should say "There were such a lot of people at the party ..." -many native speakers currently use "was" though. In the former sentence, however, people is so far from the verb that the plural form doesn�t sound correct to my ears.
Thanks in advance. |
6 Jan 2020
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cunliffe
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Happy New Year! You are right that a lot of natives would use there was when it should be there were. Even more so in the present. There�s is ubiquitous. There�s loads of people at the party! There was such a small number of people.... that sounds right to my ears as well. The justification is that a number is singular. Interestingly, it is plural if the subject follows. A number of people have said that.... It�s logical enough, I guess.  Lynne
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6 Jan 2020
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douglas
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"a small number" is singular so "there was" is correct |
6 Jan 2020
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Pedro14
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Thanks a million for such quick replies! I really appreciate it. |
6 Jan 2020
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