Which is grammatically correct?

[sjwright]

Just to settle an ongoing disagreement in the office:

Which is grammatically correct:

- A whole new range of houses is coming soon to Royston
- A whole new range of houses are coming soon to Royston

I say that its the first, as the (singuar) range of (many) houses is 1 unit, therefore should be 'is coming soon'...

If there were more than 1 range of houses, then fair enough, 'are' is correct?

Ideas on a postcard please!

[rowanwitch]

where is MarkRae when you need a truly definitive answer using complex explanations and all those odd technical terms for grammar you only learn at a certain sort of school

[Euphemia]

There IS only one new range of houses coming soon to Royston.

[chakka35]

"A whole new range of" is an indication of plurality. So it's "are"

Would you say "A few of the new houses is.."? "A hundred of the new houses is.."?

Those who would write "is" are being confused by the "A" into thinking that the subject is singular.

[Psybbo]

is is correct
Rang is singular

[MarkRae]

> "A whole new range of" is an indication of plurality. So it's "are"

Utter rubbish! A / an, the indefinite article, can only ever refer to nouns in the singular, and singular nouns need singular verbs.

[classylady60]

As I see it....late though I may be is....it's describing a range of...so IMO it should be IS.... a whole new range (of houses) is coming soon...yes?

[jno]

classylady: yes

[chakka35]

In that case, sibton, "a hundred" is singular, as is "a few". The subject of the sentence is not "range" but "range of houses" - in other words "houses" with a qualifying clause which indicates the plurality.

Those who consider "A new range of" to be the subject are following some fixed idea about "A" being an introduction to something singular and are therefore misunderstanding the structure of the sentence.

[MarkRae]

Obviously! No matter how many things a range contains, it's still *a* range i.e. singular.

[jno]

so a box of buttons have been delivered? Sounds ever so slightly wrong to my ears.

[sandyRoe]

'Range' is describing the houses which ARE coming to the market.

[classylady60]

That's what I thought M R...or I hope I conveyed lol...what's my name again...

[chakka35]

MarkRae is conveniently illustrating my point- being too pedantic to notice the structure.

[Psybbo]

This is getting silly, houses are not the subject. A new range is. Thank you Mike!

[MarkRae]

> so a box of buttons have been delivered?

Er, no! A box of buttons HAS been delivered. Irrespective of how many buttons the box contained, it's still ONE box!!!

Why is this so difficult?

[sandyRoe]

Are these houses affordable and value for money?

[jno]

on the contrary, MarkRae is paying close attention to the structure. What do you think about my box of buttons?

[Psybbo]

Sorry thank you Mark

[classylady60]

yes sibton...a range - a box - a whatever, singular and that is IS coming...see we all get there in the end....it sez 'ere

[MarkRae]

> MarkRae is conveniently illustrating my point- being too pedantic to notice the structure.

The structure? Answer me this:

In the phrase "A whole new range of houses", how many ranges are there, irrespective of how many houses?