"... a handful of people that tarnishes ..."

Status
Not open for further replies.

Odessa Dawn

Key Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Saudi Arabia
Current Location
Saudi Arabia


She further added, "As a native of Jerusalem I know and respect this society. I know it's just a handful of people that tarnishes the reputation of an entire sector. I was very offended by what he did."
More: Soldier: Haredi man spat on me and my mother - Israel News, Ynetnews

"As for Newsweek's fate, the paid-digital strategy strikes me as little more than a face-saving move. I can't believe more than a handful of people are going to sign up," Kennedy said on his blog.
More:Newsweek ends 80-year print run, goes all-digital - Israel Culture, Ynetnews

The Young Professionals Program is geared towards candidates under the age of 32 who are interested in junior positions at the UN. Only a handful of Israelis have succeeded in passing its entrances tests over the past few years.
More:Young Israelis flunk UN entrance exams - Israel Business, Ynetnews

Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

In sum, I don’t know whether a handful of takes singular or plural verb?
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
It's plural to me.
 

Odessa Dawn

Key Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Saudi Arabia
Current Location
Saudi Arabia

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I would. Some other native speaker might disagree. Collective nouns can be a matter of style or local preference.
 

Chicken Sandwich

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Netherlands

In sum, I don’t know whether a handful of takes singular or plural verb?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


I think it depends on whether we're dealing with a countable or uncountable noun. Consider the following sentence which I found in Google Books:

There is a handful of sand on the floor, and I fear someone will step in it and fall.

(The Inter-mountain Educator, Volumes 15-16)

I think that "are" would be less likely here.

However, in your sentence I would also use the plural form of the verb.
 
Last edited:

Odessa Dawn

Key Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Saudi Arabia
Current Location
Saudi Arabia

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


a countable or uncountable noun.

I can add an indefinite articular an before uncountable noun, can't I? A countable or an uncountable noun, for example.
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States


I can add an indefinite articular an before uncountable noun, can't I? A countable or an uncountable noun, for example.

Yes, you could, but it's not necessary.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top