Verb-Agreement Confusion

[Mister Nutty]

Hi,

I am having a verb agreement problem. I just stumbled upon this text on a web page. I have highlighted the areas where I have confusions. Could someone please explain to me why the author has used plural forms of verbs with percents? The only reason that I can see is the percent numbers are also plural, and maybe that's why the he has done this, but I am not too sure about my insinuated reasoning.

Presently and incredibly, over 99.80% of the world's population are excluded from any involvement with scientific and technological research, and less than one-twentieth of one percent of the world's population are engaged in the planet's leading edge research effort. These narrow-minded statistics that in many ways keeps the majority of the world in poverty have to change. In this respect it is projected that the world on its present course will create a world where 8% live in sheer luxury and 92% live in abject poverty by 2050. This is a clear indication of the problems our future generations will face and a recipe for Armageddon. Indeed, we have to open-up the whole aspect of creativity if we are to solve our planet's emerging problems and for that we have to take into account all of mankind's creative thoughts. If not, we shall not be able to ultimately safeguard our children's future or indeed their lives from the mid-21st century and beyond.

[paochai01]

Everything you highlighted is wrong. All those verbs should be in singular form.

[David L.]

In this respect it is projected that the world on its present course will create a world where 8% live in sheer luxury

Be careful with English on the Internet, and do not consider what you see as a touchstone of correct English expression. The website where this appears is apparently written by people impassioned by their cause, and not necessarily good grammarians. One hint that they are clumsy with language occurs above:

"...is projected that the world...will create a world..."

"Presently and incredibly.." isn't a promising start either, with regard to inspiring credibility in the views and information about to be expressed.

over 99.80% of the world's population is excluded
The writer is too caught up in the fervour of the message - he/she is writing about percentages, but in his mind, thinking, 'people in the world are excluded..."

[rj1948]

Originally Posted by Mister Nutty

Hi,

I am having a verb agreement problem. I just stumbled upon this text on a web page. I have highlighted the areas where I have confusions. Could someone please explain to me why the author has used plural forms of verbs with percents? The only reason that I can see is the percent numbers are also plural, and maybe that's why the he has done this, but I am not too sure about my insinuated reasoning.

Percentage is singular and it takes singular verb.The writer has "people" in mind.
"I am having a verb agreement problem." mm.correct?

[Mister Nutty]

Thanks for your response, Guys. Love you all!

[Mister Nutty]

Hello again David,

Did you visit the webpage and go through the whole article? If not, I would like you to visit the page.


I completely agree with you. Although my English is not that good, I was also able to find a lot of other mistakes in the article. But one thing we must admit that the article is technically very good. What do you say?

By the way, if "Presently and incredibly.." is not a promising start, what do you think it should be?

[David L.]

"presently and incredibly' is clumsy.

Something like:
Incredibly, over 99.80% of the world's population are currently/presently excluded from any involvement with scientific

[David L.]

The author starts by saying, forget institutionalized science, in the past, most discoveries and inventions were by the lone eccentric - let's get back to that.
Yes. I t was necessary to work alone because there was little institutionalized science and no MITs.
He goes on:
"In this respect the Open Research Establishment will be the central catalyst for sustainable development consisting initially of over 20,000 intuitive and inventive scientists, engineers, technologists and technical support personnel. Additionally the ORE-STEM will create further employment throughout the world where after 20-years of operations some 500 million people will find 'new' work and thereafter increasing year-on-year. Increasing with the development of over 1,000 ORE-Satellite Incubator Centres throughout the world (one for every 6 million of the world's inhabitants), the ORE's wealth creating mechanism will provide work for all nations through the exploitation of mankind's inner thoughts and their sciences. All this will bring forth a four-fold increase in global trade. Indeed, by the start of the 22nd century the concept of the ORE will have grown to create a one-nation world that lives in harmony and co-operation. No other global mechanism will produce such a future 'vision' and provide for a peaceful world order.

Some see the end of the world; others, as this writer, envisage Utopia.
I don't want to discuss his 'vision' other than, with regard to the one-nation world: history continues, in that the Russian Federation disintegrated; Scotland wants it's independence from England; and in Iraq, Sunni and shiite want separate nations within the old Iraq.Nevermind what it took to get the EU going, and how some countries fiercely want to maintain a certain 'independence' within the Union.