[Grammar] Lots of money IS or ARE

[Oceanlike]

A lot of money is .......

Lots of money are.....?

Thank you for teaching me :-D

 

[TheParser]

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

Hello, Oceanlike:

Here is what two scholars say: "The verb must agree with the number [singular or plural] of the object [of the preposition "of"]."

Their examples:

Lots of people were there.
Lots of time was wasted.

Now I believe that you can answer your own question. (Hint: You know that we always say that "Money is necessary.")

Source: Madames Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman, The Grammar Book / An ESL/EFL Teacher's Course (1983 edition).

 

[Oceanlike]

Hello, TheParser, the thing is i'm stumped!

I looked at "a lot" versus "lots"

Lots of money is ...... sounds weird to me :-D while a lot of money is ......sounds perfect!

 

[emsr2d2]

Whether you use "A lot of" or "Lots of", "money" is uncountable and therefore takes the singular.

 

[TheParser]

Lots of money is ...... sounds weird to me.

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

Hello, Oceanlike:

I think that I understand what you mean: "lots" is plural, yet one must use a singular verb with an uncountable noun (as the teacher reminded you in her post).

I am sure that this matter confuses many students.

Many years ago, a man from Europe came to the United States to live. He started a very famous and powerful newspaper. But all his life, he continued to ask: "Are there any news?" (Of course, "news" requires a singular verb: "Is there any news?"

By the way, as one expert * reminds us, both "a lot of" and "lots of" are informal.

It is my respectful suggestion that you not use them in reports at the university or for your employer.

That same expert says that if the noun is uncountable, we can use "a large amount of" or "a great deal of."

a. His example: "I've thrown out a large amount of old clothing."

He says that with countable nouns, it is preferable to use "a large number of."

b. His example: "A large number of problems still have to be solved."

*****

* When you get time, I suggest that you read all that you can about "lots of" and "a lot of." You may wish to start with that expert's book: Practical English Usage by Michael Swan.

 

[Tdol]

Hello, TheParser, the thing is i'm stumped!

I looked at "a lot" versus "lots"

Lots of money is ...... sounds weird to me :-D while a lot of money is ......sounds perfect!

Does A lot of people are there sound weird to you too?

 

[Oceanlike]

No, "A lot of people are there...." sounds perfectly fine to me :-D

Sometimes. I find English akin to a crazy language but often I find it to be fun and intriguing! I enjoy it very much!

Thanks very much for teaching me :-D

 

[Matthew Wai]

Lots of money is ...... sounds weird to me

I think it would sound less weird if you consider 'money' instead of 'lots' to be the subject of 'is', but I am not a teacher.

Sometimes. I find English akin to a crazy language

English is not crazy but sometimes drives learners like you and me crazy.

 

[Eckaslike]

In some respects it is a crazy language, especially with regards to spelling. However, these are forms and structures which have become relatively fixed for historical reasons.

The rule is as emsr2d2 has said in posting number four. I think the following is quite a useful web page on countable and uncountable nouns and how, and why, we use them this way : http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/countable-uncountable-nouns.htm