A wide range of materials is/are

[Snappy]

Which one is gramatically correct?


A wide range of materials is/are used for the manufacture of our pipeline products.


If I consider that "a wide range" is the gramatical subject of the sentence, it should be followed by "is" but if I consider that "materials" is the gramatical subject, "are" should be used.


In such cases, can I rewirte to avoid confusion as follows?:


Materials in a wide range are used for the manufacture of our pipeline products. (Is this gramatically okay and natural?)

[PROESL]

Which one is gramatically correct?


A wide range of materials is/are used for the manufacture of our pipeline products.


If I consider that "a wide range" is the gramatical subject of the sentence, it should be followed by "is" but if I consider that "materials" is the gramatical subject, "are" should be used.


In such cases, can I rewirte to avoid confusion as follows?:


Materials in a wide range are used for the manufacture of our pipeline products. (Is this gramatically okay and natural?)

The subject is "a wide range", or just "a range". Therefore, use "is". In such sentences, it's possible to hear native speakers of English use a plural verb, as it's only natural to follow a plural noun with a plural verb. This is the case in your example sentence: "of materials is used". However, "materials" is the object of the preposition immediately following "range"; "materials" is not the subject.

A wide range of materials is used for the manufacture of our pipeline products.

In such cases, can I rewirte to avoid confusion as follows?:


Materials in a wide range are used for the manufacture of our pipeline products.

You could, but I think this sounds somewhat forced, not like the most natural language. I don't think there will be any confusion if you write the sentence as it is, using "is" as the verb. This really only becomes a problem in discussions where people want to point out what is technically, or grammatically, correct.

[Raymott]

The subject is "a wide range", or just "a range".

I submit that the subject is "A wide range of materials", and that what you have done in solving this problem is to identify the "simple subject", if I understand this term correctly.
If this is what you've done, I'd consider it a useful thing to be able to do - perhaps even something that children learning grammar should be taught. Wouldn't you agree?

[bhaisahab]

I submit that the subject is "A wide range of materials", and that what you have done in solving this problem is to identify the "simple subject", if I understand this term correctly.
If this is what you've done, I'd consider it a useful thing to be able to do - perhaps even something that children learning grammar should be taught. Wouldn't you agree?

Yes, the subject is "A wide range of materials" and in my view both 'is' and 'are' are acceptable.

[Raymott]

Yes, the subject is "A wide range of materials" and in my view both 'is' and 'are' are acceptable.

I agree, bhai. I would probably say "are" instinctively, and I believe correctly.
I just didn't feel in the mood to explain why that what so in this case, but not in the "teaspoons of sugar" case.

[PROESL]

I submit that the subject is "A wide range of materials", and that what you have done in solving this problem is to identify the "simple subject", if I understand this term correctly.
If this is what you've done, I'd consider it a useful thing to be able to do - perhaps even something that children learning grammar should be taught. Wouldn't you agree?

I would teach it as the need arises, or by showing examples for comparison in a writing class. A good comparison, of course, would be this sentence and the "teaspoons of sugar" sentence from the other discussion. It would make sense to post a link to that here. Cross-thread discussions can be confusing to both participants and readers.

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/as...-sentence.html