"A range of" is or are

[subhajit123]

Hi there, is "a range of...." singular or plural? Which one sounds more natural?

1- There is/are a wide range of new books in the store.

2- A wide range of topics was/were discussed in the meetings.

 

[GoesStation]

1- There is/are a wide range of new books in the store.

2- A wide range of topics was/were discussed in the meetings.

I'd use the singular in 1 and the plural in 2. Many other Anglophones would choose otherwise.

You won't find a reliable rule for these cases.

 

[Roman55]

So would I. This is probably because of the proximity of the verb with a in 1, and with topics in 2.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Since "range" is singular in both sentences, I'd use "is" in both. But as GS says, it's obviously a matter of opinion. You can probably get away with either verb.

My advice: Use the one your teacher likes.