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  1. 17-Jan-2007, 16:18 #1
    tc79
    tc79 is offline Newbie
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    Default subject-verb agreement

    Please let me know which one of the followings has the correct verb usage:
    There is a total of...
    There are a total of...
    Thanks.
    tc79
  2. 17-Jan-2007, 18:49 #2
    svartnik
    svartnik is offline Banned
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    Default Re: subject-verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by tc79 View Post
    Please let me know which one of the followings has the correct verb usage:
    There is a total of...
    There are a total of...
    Thanks.
    tc79
    both are okay

    there is a total of 100 people -- grammatical concord
    there are a total of 100 people -- notional concord
  3. 17-Jan-2007, 20:33 #3
    Teia
    Teia is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: subject-verb agreement

    Quote Originally Posted by tc79 View Post
    Please let me know which one of the followings has the correct verb usage:
    There is a total of...
    There are a total of...
    Thanks.
    tc79
    "There is" and "there are" are considered "dummy subjects" . They agree with the subject of the sentence which comes after them:

    e.g. There is a tree in my backyard.
    There are many trees in my backyard.
    The correct answer is :There is a total of...

    e.g. There is a total of 120 students at this meeting.
    There is a total of 100 people...
    There are 100 people....


    Regards
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