I think what you really want is: "There have been numerous things."
As in "There have been numerous topics posted on this list and I don't know why I chose to answer this one." - Jason > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Sechrest > Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:44 PM > To: Eugene Unix and Gnu/Linux User Group > Subject: Re: [Eug-lug] Grammar question > > > You are correct. And you are wrong. > > First: You are correct that the verb should match the number > of the subject. > > Second: Most people interpret the subject to be "things" not > "Number of" > > So if things is plural then have is the answer. > > > > Bob Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > % This list has some language lawyers. Here's a question > about the % English language. > % > % Which of these is grammatically correct? > % "There have been a number of things." > % or > % "There has been a number of things." > % > % It always been my understanding that the verb should match > the number % of the subject. The subject is "a number", > which is singular, so % the correct verb is "has been". > % > % "There has been a letter." > % "There has been a number." > % "There has been a number of things." > % > % Microsoft Word (runs on Linux under Crossover Office) > flags "has been" > % as an error but accepts "have been". > % > % Is Bill's own word processor wrong, or am I? > % > % -- > % Bob Miller K<bob> > % [EMAIL PROTECTED] > % _______________________________________________ > % EUGLUG mailing list > % [email protected] > % http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug > > ----- > John Sechrest . Helping people use > . computers and the Internet > . more effectively > . > . Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > . > . > http://www.peak.org/~sechrest > _______________________________________________ > EUGLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug > _______________________________________________ EUGLUG mailing list [email protected] http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
