[Grammar] is vs are

[Terrill J Martin]

Which is correct? "most of your football team is seniors" or "most of your football team are seniors". To me, it sound correct to say are rather than is.

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome to the forums.:-D

Yes—'are' is correct.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

Which is correct? "Most of your football team is seniors" or "Most of your football team are seniors". To me, it sound correct to say "are" rather than "is".

Welcome to the forum.

Remember that when a whole sentence is enclosed in quotation marks, it should start with a capital letter. Also remember to enclose individual words that you want to draw attention to in some way in quotation marks too. I have made the relevant amendments above in red.

 

[Terrill J Martin]

Thanks. But can you give me the reason you think it's correct to use "are". The individual I'm having a discussion with says that "football team" is the subject of the sentence and therefore "is" would be the correct answer. I say "seniors" would be the subject of the sentence and because "seniors" is plural, that would make "are" the proper "subject/verb" agreement.

 

[tzfujimino]

Thanks. But can you give me the reason you think it's correct to use "are". The individual I'm having a discussion with says that "football team" is the subject of the sentence and therefore "is" would be the correct answer. I say "seniors" would be the subject of the sentence and because "seniors" is plural, that would make "are" the proper "subject/verb" agreement.

Hello, Terrill:-D.
Well, I think the subject of your sentence is "Most".

To make it easier for you to understand, how about:

"Most (members) of your football team are seniors."

The word "members" is 'understood', so it's omitted.

I hope you will understand what I mean.

 

[Terrill J Martin]

Thanks. You said that you think the subject of the sentence is "Most". Not trying to be picky, but I have a bet riding on this answer and I was hoping for an answer of "I know for sure" or something to that effect. Thanks again.

 

[Rover_KE]

'Most of your football team' consists of a number of players, so I know for sure that 'are seniors' is correct.

Rover

 

[Terrill J Martin]

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Terrill, instead of sending your thanks in a separate message, just click the Like button, please.

The reason is that it is flagged as a new post, so we think you might have a follow-up question or something to add. Those of us with slow internet connections and/or old computers have to waste valuable time waiting for it to appear.

Thank you.

Rover​