The following are/is a series of unrelated situations.

[neb090]

1. The following are a series of unrelated situations.
2. The following is a series of unrelated situations.
3. The following are a series of questions.
4. The following is a series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show.
5. A series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show is as follows.
6. A series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show are as follows.

Which one is correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

"A series" is singular. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be able to take the indefinite article. Therefore, in 1-4, the singular verb "is" is needed. Sentences 5 and 6 are unnatural. We wouldn't end them with "as follows" at all. "A series of comments ... follows".

 

[neb090]

"A series" is singular. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be able to take the indefinite article. Therefore, in 1-4, the singular noun "is" is needed. Sentences 5 and 6 are unnatural. We wouldn't end them with "as follows" at all. "A series of comments ... follows".

Hi, emsr2d2.

I saw this:

https://www.chegg.com/homework-help...relating-five-independent-situation-q40509629

 

[teechar]

1. The following are a series of unrelated situations.
2. The following is a series of unrelated situations.

As emsr2d2 has pointed out above, "is" is the right verb there.

3. The following are a series of questions.

See above.

4. The following is a series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show.

OK.

5. A series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show is as follows.

That's grammatical, but I'm not sure what context you have in mind for it.

6. A series of comments about the latest episode of the world-famous TV show are as follows.

No. See above.

I saw this:
https://www.chegg.com/homework-help...relating-five-independent-situation-q40509629

You'll see all kinds of text on the internet. It need not always be grammatical or well written.
-----------------------------
Please note, however, that:
1- The noun "series" can be plural. For example: There are several crime series on TV these days.
2- I'm sure emsr2d2 meant to write:

... the singular noun verb "is" is needed.

 

[emsr2d2]

2- I'm sure emsr2d2 meant to write:

singular noun verb

I did, of course, mean verb. I've edited my post. Thanks!

 

[neb090]

I did, of course, mean verb. I've edited my post. Thanks!

So are the following sentences correct?

1. He watches/watched a series of crime movies.

2. They watch/watched a series of crime movies.

 

[emsr2d2]

So are the following sentences correct?

1. He watches/watched a series of crime movies.
2. They watch/watched a series of crime movies.

They're all grammatically possible but please tell me in what context you might use the present tense in those sentences

 

[neb090]

They're all grammatically possible but please tell me in what context you might use the present tense in those sentences

I just want to make sure that even the "verb" before "a series of" should be "singular", but that's not the case when the subject is "plural." Am I right?

 

[emsr2d2]

The verb that comes before a singular noun has nothing to do with that noun.

He watches a series of crime movies.
He watched a series of crime movies.
He watches crime movies.
He watched crime movies.
They watch a series of crime movies.
They watched a series of crime movies.

To be honest, I'm not convinced you've asked the question you meant to ask!

 

[EngLearner]

I wonder which would be correct in the following sentence:

A series of events has/have happened recently that...

I know we use the plural verb in the following case (which is kind of similar to the above example):

A number of people were injured in the accident.

 

[emsr2d2]

"A series" is singular so only "has" is correct.
"A number of people" is plural because the whole phrase means "Several people".