Amount ... are

[Allen165]

Why "are" instead of "is"?

"After an attack like 9/11 in the United States or 7/7 in London, a massive amount of resources are inevitably deployed to shield the most precious targets, but there is a Sisyphean element to such a task."

Thanks!

[shroob]

Why "are" instead of "is"?

"After an attack like 9/11 in the United States or 7/7 in London, a massive amount of resources are inevitably deployed to shield the most precious targets, but there is a Sisyphean element to such a task."

Thanks!

Not a teacher only a native.

'Are' is used because 'resources' is plural.

[Allen165]

Not a teacher only a native.

'Are' is used because 'resources' is plural.

But isn't "amount" the noun that the verb refers back to?

[Raymott]

But isn't "amount" the noun that the verb refers back to?

You're a native speaker, Allen. What would you say?

[Allen165]

You're a native speaker, Allen. What would you say?

I would obviously say yes, but my answer seems to be wrong.

[SoothingDave]

Was there a yes/no question somewhere? I thought it was is/are?

[Allen165]

Was there a yes/no question somewhere? I thought it was is/are?

In post no. 3 I asked this question: "But isn't "amount" the noun that the verb refers back to?"

[SoothingDave]

OK, I read that wrong. I thought he was asking if you would say "is" or "are."

[Allen165]

OK, I read that wrong. I thought he was asking if you would say "is" or "are."

I would say "is" because I think "amount" is the "noun of reference." (I just made up that term; I don't know the correct grammatical term.)

[shroob]

I would say "is" because I think "amount" is the "noun of reference." (I just made up that term; I don't know the correct grammatical term.)

Not a teacher only a native.

"After an attack like 9/11 in the United States or 7/7 in London, a massive amount of resourcesare inevitably deployed to shield the most precious targets, but there is a Sisyphean element to such a task."

Having read the sentence over and over again, 'is' seems to also fit.

I think this is to do with the 'a' (after London), which makes the 'massive amount of resources' appear as a single noun, but I could be wrong.

If it was just 'After an attack like 9/11 in the United States or 7/7 in London, massive amounts of resources are inevitably deployed....' then 'are' would be the word of choice.

Hopefully an actual teacher will clear things up.