Is or are

[J i m s t e r]

Which of these is correct?

"Where a large number of cars were observed."
"Where a large number of cars was observed."

?

[gwh200]

Is or are..tis neither. It's ain't ...innit.

[Albannach]

It is whether the noun starts with a vowel sound which dictates the use of "an" or "a", rather than whether it starts with a vowel per se. So for example many nouns starting with a "u", and all starting with "eu" are preceded by "a", not "an". Eunuch, European, unicorn, union etc. There are others - a ewe, a one-armed bandit etc.
The converse is also true although words starting with consonants which begin with vowel sounds are unusual. The only one that springs immediately to mind is an ylang-ylang tree, although there are doubtless others. It is quite common in abbreviations however - an L-shape, an SLR etc.
Confusion tends to arise with the aspirate "h". If the "h" is hard (as in hat), then "a" is obviously used. If the "h" is silent then "an" is used (honourable, hour). But "an" is also traditionally used if the stress is on the second syllable of an aspirated word such as hotel or historic.
That usage is increasingly uncommon. Personally I find "an hotel" and "an historic" rather an unnecessary affection, and I wouldn't and don't use it myself.
But then I go to great pains to ensure that I don't come across as some sort of pompous tawt. As you can tell from this post....

I write 'an hotel' but say 'a hotel'.

Thanks for putting what I was trying to say so eloquently, it is appreciated. I had a similar thread typed, but deleted it as I got fed up trying to explain what I was saying.

I didn't know about the Ylang-ylang tree, but it makes sense.

[flounderbout]

Are there any point to this thread?

It is of course always appropriate to use the word "Are" (or "Aaarrr") at all times when speaking pirate.

Anyway I like this thread. All the others are about mechanical shenanigae about which I know precisely F all

[Scorpion]

Are there any point to this thread?

[yoshie]

It is whether the noun starts with a vowel sound which dictates the use of "an" or "a", rather than whether it starts with a vowel per se. So for example many nouns starting with a "u", and all starting with "eu" are preceded by "a", not "an". Eunuch, European, unicorn, union etc. There are others - a ewe, a one-armed bandit etc.
The converse is also true although words starting with consonants which begin with vowel sounds are unusual. The only one that springs immediately to mind is an ylang-ylang tree, although there are doubtless others. It is quite common in abbreviations however - an L-shape, an SLR etc.
Confusion tends to arise with the aspirate "h". If the "h" is hard (as in hat), then "a" is obviously used. If the "h" is silent then "an" is used (honourable, hour). But "an" is also traditionally used if the stress is on the second syllable of an aspirated word such as hotel or historic.
That usage is increasingly uncommon. Personally I find "an hotel" and "an historic" rather an unnecessary affection, and I wouldn't and don't use it myself.
But then I go to great pains to ensure that I don't come across as some sort of pompous tawt. As you can tell from this post....

[flounderbout]

It is whether the noun starts with a vowel sound which dictates the use of "an" or "a", rather than whether it starts with a vowel per se. So for example many nouns starting with a "u", and all starting with "eu" are preceded by "a", not "an". Eunuch, European, unicorn, union etc. There are others - a ewe, a one-armed bandit etc.
The converse is also true although words starting with consonants which begin with vowel sounds are unusual. The only one that springs immediately to mind is an ylang-ylang tree, although there are doubtless others. It is quite common in abbreviations however - an L-shape, an SLR etc.
Confusion tends to arise with the aspirate "h". If the "h" is hard (as in hat), then "a" is obviously used. If the "h" is silent then "an" is used (honourable, hour). But "an" is also traditionally used if the stress is on the second syllable of an aspirated word such as hotel or historic.
That usage is increasingly uncommon. Personally I find "an hotel" and "an historic" rather an unnecessary affection, and I wouldn't and don't use it myself.
But then I go to great pains to ensure that I don't come across as some sort of pompous tawt. As you can tell from this post....

[yoshie]

"A army is approaching from the West sir"


Not right is it?

I tried to tell you earlier that a vowel or vowel sound in general, is preceded by an.

I know you found Uniform as an exception, but as a general rule it applies.

[flounderbout]

"A army is approaching from the West sir"


Not right is it?

Err, no. An army is always an Army. Just as a team is never an team. But that doesn't make any difference to whether it takes the plural or singular.

[KERRSURF]

OK. Dependant on context, 'team' can be either plural or singular. I personally prefer singular, as in "Your team's (is) crap!". But I may use the plural now and again

How about explaining why Army, a squad, or team, is always singular?

"A army is approaching from the West sir"


Not right is it?

[flounderbout]

OK. Dependant on context, 'team' can be either plural or singular. I personally prefer singular, as in "Your team's (is) crap!". But I may use the plural now and again

How about explaining why Army, a squad, or team, is always singular?

Same answer really - usually the context in which "Army" is used is singular, as in the Army invaded.
But it can be used in the plural sense too as a reference to the soldiers in the army. "The Army are hard as nails, whereas the Air Force are soft"
(sorry all you crabs! )

LOL, Hello, you been quiet recently!

I was busting my mule off at work before Christmas, with the tedious though probably inevitable result that I have been laid low with the flu over the whole of Christmas. Jessie too . Christmas lunch consisted of some defrosted spag bog brought round by a kindly neighbour...!
Pretty miserable, though coming out the other end thankfully now - just in time to get back to work
Hope you and Linda had a good break.

[TonyN]

But I'll never Z my ise...

Me neither. Don't fall for the Z, and it will always be Zed, not Zee....

[Albannach]

The English English pedants can't compete with the internet, American English is winning around the world, everyone here is really only arguing over a fading dialect.

Nah, change is inevitable. I'm trying to work out what to say now, not what was said 100 years ago or what will be said in 100 years from now.

But I'll never Z my ise...

[slobodan]

:
The English English pedants can't compete with the internet, American English is winning around the world, everyone here is really only arguing over a fading dialect. :stirspot:

Yeah, Way to go BPS

[TonyN]

I hope the snow melts soon, you can all get outside then.

I doubt they remember what outside is.

Tony has it spot on.
A team (or the name of it) refers to two things, the individuals that go to make up the team, and the team itself. Whether one should use "is" or "are" therefore depends on which of the two ways in which you are referring to the team in context.
The Australian cricket team are ungracious.
And the Australian team is a shadow of its former self.

LOL, Hello, you been quiet recently!

Ok, a bit late into the conversation, but thank God I'm here to teach you how to speak proper English or rather American.

The English English pedants can't compete with the internet, American English is winning around the world, everyone here is really only arguing over a fading dialect. :stirspot: