I mean should I be saying there is a number of questions or there are a number of questions? I think it should be there is as it relates to a number, but Word shows it as a mistake, please advise.
Thank you
2007-09-27 11:14:29 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
The thin is you use article "A" for number, but factor (s) is a countable noun, just as questions.
There are is correct a number of factors. Number states that it is more than 1.
2007-09-27 11:36:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A definitive response is not possible since your example is only a sentence fragment.
If the subject of your sentence is "number" - singular
If the subject of your sentence is "questions" - plural
2007-09-27 11:22:39 · answer #2 · answered by Pragmaticite 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
IS
Would you say "There is a group of people" or "There are a group of people"?
THERE IS and why? Because "a group" is singular and only "a group" is the object and therefore determines the number. "of people" is only the modifier of "a group" and has no role.
2007-09-27 11:54:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
is "there are" =)
The guy above is wrong...
On his sentence: "There is a group of people", you are talking about the people. People=many, that's why you should write "are"... cuz you're not really talking about the group, but about the people forming the group ;)
Good luck!
2007-09-27 12:16:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are a number of factors/questions.
in this case, "number of" expresses quantity; it's not a situation where "of factors" is modifying the subject.
2007-09-27 11:20:20 · answer #5 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are a number of questions...because questions is the noun, which is plural...number is the adjective or whatever i think, but i'm not too sure...
2007-09-27 11:18:19 · answer #6 · answered by cai 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"there are" is correct
2007-09-27 11:29:00 · answer #7 · answered by unfit_commander 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋