Subject and verb agreement

[Lucero]

Hello! I'm new to this forum and feel very lucky to have found it, since I love both English and grammar
I'm trying to find out if there is a rule or an exception to subject and verb agreement when we see things written like:
"There are a set of numbers..." I would have thought you'd say "There is a set of numbers..." however I'm told by different people they have seen it written as I mentioned first. Can someone help me please...is it allow? or is it just a mistake?

Thanks a lot!

[Alan]

Hi,

Possibly the use of 'are' in your example is that the speaker/writer is thinking of 'numbers' and not thinking about 'a set'. Technically it would be: There is a set ... but then we're all human!

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Sea Expressions

[Lucero]

Thank you so very much Alan, for your interest in helping us by your forum -I see you are a Co-founder- and your quick response. I believe there are a lot of people like me out there who love and work with the language and sometimes we just do not know where to turn to when we are in doubt or do need to come up with an answer for people who expects us to have it.

I really appreciate your kind response and am looking forward to be part of the forum.

best regards,

Lucero

[prezbucky]

Alan, do you subscribe to the penchant of British football broadcasters for voicing sentences like the following?:

"The side are faltering."

"Manchester United are throttling Liverpool today at Old Trafford."

IE, taking a seemingly singular subject (team, side, proper team name, etc.) and pairing it with the third-person plural form of the verb?

[Alan]

Hi,

Yes, I'm quite happy with this use of the plural verb when the subject grammatically indicates singular. I follow the line that 'is' applies when you don't know or are not connected with the subject. To me this suits: The French government is .......... The government here are .............

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Here comes 2004...

[prezbucky]

I figured that they do it because a team is comprised of more than one person -- in other words, they're choosing to treat "team" or "side" as the multiple parts of that team, as opposed to the singular whole -- but also I get what you're saying.

Thanks!

[Lucero]

Dear Alan and Prezbucky,

Thanks for your interest in my question; both your responses are interesting and enlightening.

Nevertheless, in a formal, serious, business context, which one would you use? written? orally?

Have a nice week-end!

[Alan]

Hi,

I wouldn't change it. The example I chose about the two governments could well be used in a respectable news broadcast.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A day in the life of a stately home owner