Is or are

[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...

[TonyN]

But I'll never Z my ise...

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

[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.

[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]

"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.

[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]

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]

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....

[Scorpion]

Are there any point to this thread?

[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

[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.

[gwh200]

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

[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."

?

[slobodan]

Which of these is correct?

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

?

Context dependent baby.

[blackpoolsparks]

In Scotland, everything is usually preceeded by "a", isin't it?

A wee boy
A wee lass
A wee bit ####ed

Correct?