# a series of... - singular / plural



## protocolo

Can somebody tell me if "a series of exhibitions" is singular or plural? 

"a series of exhibitions is coming" or "a series of exhibitions are coming"?




And "people"? "the people want" or "the people wants"?



Thank you!


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## superstar

hi,

"a series of exhibitions are coming"

is= singular

are= plural

"the people want"

because people is already plural and therefore it isn't nesesary to make want plural too.


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## Paul Clancy

protocolo said:


> Can somebody tell me if "a series of exhibitions" is singular or plural?
> 
> "a series of exhibitions is coming" or "a series of exhibitions are coming"?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And "people"? "the people want" or "the people wants"?
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you!



A series ... "A" series ... implies "one" series ... therefore singular ... therefore it should be "A series of exhibitions is coming"

"people" ... just like Spanish "Gente" ... "la gente quiere" NOT "la gente quieren" ... In English it is just the same ... the people want (singular)
hope this helps


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## protocolo

Thank you very much, it was a very old doubt!


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## Agua07

Perdonad, pero la explicación que estás dando para que la forma adecuada sea "the people want" es justo la contraria, ya que en inglés lo que hace el singular (tercera persona) es el verbo terminado en "s", ¿no?
A lo mejor estoy diciendo una tontería, si es así, perdonadme.


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## superstar

Just want to rectify something...

"a series of exhibitions are coming"

"exibitions" being plural 

en español seria: Un serie de exibiciones "van" a llegar

tambien plural


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## Polopino

Agua07 said:


> Perdonad, pero la explicación que estás dando para que la forma adecuada sea "the people want" es justo la contraria, ya que en inglés lo que hace el singular (tercera persona) es el verbo terminado en "s", ¿no?
> A lo mejor estoy diciendo una tontería, si es así, perdonadme.


Tienes razón. People es plural.


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## protocolo

Dios, qué lío... algún nativo puede resumirme qué es entonces lo más correcto?


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## Agua07

Yo no soy nativa, pero creo que lo que se usa es "people are/want", es decir, se usa con el verbo en plural.

Hope it helps


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## superstar

yo soy nativa y lo que te he dicho esta correcto y ademas fui la primera en contestar


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## jinti

Jejejeje, round and round we go.... 

OK, a ver...

_A series of exhibitions *is *coming_ es correcto. ¿Por qué? Porque el sujeto de la frase es_ a series, _no _exhibitions_. (Lo sabemos porque _of exhibitions_ es una frase preposicional y las frases preposicionales nunca contienen los sujetos.) _A series_ es singular, a pesar de la terminación _-s_. Si fuera plural, sería _several series _o _a number of series_ o lo que sea, pero _*a* series_ tiene que ser singular. Por eso, se dice _a series of exhibitions *is* coming_. 

En cuanto a _the people_, _people_ es plural en inglés y el verbo va sin _-s_: _the people *want*_.


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## superstar

"the people want"

people seindo mas que una persona osea "ellos quieren" = "they want"


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## Polopino

protocolo said:


> Dios, qué lío... algún nativo puede resumirme qué es entonces lo más correcto?


A series is singular and requires a singular verb.
People is plural and needs a plural verb.


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## superstar

en cuanto lo otro _A series of exhibitions *are *coming_

exibitions siendo plural "they are coming"

no seria "they is coming" xDDDD


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> Just want to rectify something...
> 
> "a series of exhibitions are coming"
> 
> "exibitions" being plural
> 
> en español seria: Un serie de exibiciones "van" a llegar
> 
> tambien plural


  A series of exhibitions _is _coming (the subject is "A series", "of exhibitions" would be a Prepositional Phrase -PP- which acts as a complement of "series")
  Una serie de exhibiciones _va _a llegar (again, the subject is "Una serie" -singular and femenine- whereas "de exhibiciones" is a complement)


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## protocolo

Thank you all! It was really helpful!


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## superstar

aver vamos a aclarar esto ya....

"exibiciones" es plural por mucho que quieras

una exibicion; dos exibiciones

por lo tanto

"exhibitions are coming" not "exhibitions is coming"

are= plural

is= singular


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> aver vamos a aclarar esto ya....
> 
> "exibiciones" es plural por mucho que quieras
> 
> una exibicion; dos exibiciones
> 
> por lo tanto
> 
> "exhibitions are coming" not "exhibitions is coming"
> 
> are= plural
> 
> is= singular


 
"Exhibiciones" es plural, pero "Una serie" es singular. Y el núcleo del sujeto es "serie", no "exhibiciones".

_Una serie de exhibiciones comenzará la próxima semana._
_Varias / dos / distintas series de exhibiciones comenzarán la próxima semana._


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## Polopino

superstar said:


> aver vamos a aclarar esto ya....
> 
> "exibiciones" es plural por mucho que quieras
> 
> una exibicion; dos exibiciones
> 
> por lo tanto
> 
> "exhibitions are coming" not "exhibitions is coming"
> 
> are= plural
> 
> is= singular


I hate to argue, Superstar, but what is coming is ONE series, even though it consists of several items...so the verb has to be singular.


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## mnewcomb71

Superstar...you are correct in stating that exhibition is singular and exhibitions is plural, but in this case, the word exhibition(s) is not the subject of the sentence, but rather the word "series" and therefore, the verb must be in the singular.

People is plural.


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## superstar

OK well lets just leave it up too "protocolo" to decide shall we?

Bye all


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## superstar

oh but just one more incy wincy thing series is plural 

*series* *A*_noun_*1 **series*
_(mathematics) the sum of a finite or infinite sequence of expressions _


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## superstar

with that i think I've wrapped it up don't you all?


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> oh but just one more incy wincy thing series is plural


 No, it's not:
Oxford Dictionary entry:

Please note the "pl. same".

*series*


  • *noun* (pl. same) *1* a number of similar or related things coming one after another. *2* a sequence of related television or radio programmes. *3* Geology a range of strata corresponding to an epoch in time. *4* Mathematics a set of quantities constituting a progression or having values determined by a common relation.


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## Polopino

Manupi said:


> No, it's not:
> Oxford Dictionary entry:
> 
> Please note the "pl. same".
> 
> *series*
> 
> 
> • *noun* (pl. same) *1* a number of similar or related things coming one after another. *2* a sequence of related television or radio programmes. *3* Geology a range of strata corresponding to an epoch in time. *4* Mathematics a set of quantities constituting a progression or having values determined by a common relation.


R.I.P.


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## superstar

why are you argueing against yourself?

it states quite clearly that series is plural xD


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## superstar

a series is a gruop of things in this case exhibitions


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> a series is a gruop of things in this case exhibitions


 
But the word "series", as a noun, per se, is singular (see the Oxford entry).


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## superstar

yes OK series is a noun but look at its definition please and you'll see that it means it is a group of things please lets not argue for the sake of argueing.


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## superstar

*collective_noun* *A*_noun_*1 **collective noun*
_a noun that is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things _


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## superstar

toma ya! xD


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## mnewcomb71

superstar...it seems that you changed your mind...you were the one who was saying that "a series of exhibitions are..." and now you say that it is a collective noun, therefore singular, which it is.


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> *collective_noun* *A*_noun_*1 **collective noun*
> _a noun that is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things _


Yeah, "singular in form". Hence, "A series of exhibitions IS..." SIN-GU-LAR


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## superstar

I'm still saying "a series of exhibitions *ARE* coming"

just stating that series in this context is stating a group of things.

i.e. a group of exhibitions are coming

if it were said like this would you still think it's 

a group of exhibitions is coming?

-----------------------------------------
*Main Entry:*  series*Part of Speech:* _noun_*Definition:*  order*Synonyms:* alternation, arrangement, array, category, chain, classification, column, consecution, continuity, course, file, gradation, group, line, list, procession, progression, range, row, run, scale, sequel, sequence, set, skein, streak, string, succession, suit, suite, tier, train


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## Polopino

superstar said:


> I'm still saying "a series of exhibitions *ARE* coming"
> 
> just stating that series in this context is stating a group of things.
> 
> i.e. a group of exhibitions are coming
> 
> if it were said like this would you still think it's
> 
> a group of exhibitions is coming?
> 
> -----------------------------------------
> *Main Entry:* series*Part of Speech:* _noun_*Definition:* order*Synonyms:* alternation, arrangement, array, category, chain, classification, column, consecution, continuity, course, file, gradation, group, line, list, procession, progression, range, row, run, scale, sequel, sequence, set, skein, streak, string, succession, suit, suite, tier, train


 
So would you also say "a bunch of flowers are coming for you"?


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> I'm still saying "a series of exhibitions *ARE* coming"
> 
> just stating that series in this context is stating a group of things.
> 
> i.e. a group of exhibitions are coming
> 
> if it were said like this would you still think it's
> 
> a group of exhibitions is coming?
> 
> -----------------------------------------
> *Main Entry:* series*Part of Speech:* _noun_*Definition:* order*Synonyms:* alternation, arrangement, array, category, chain, classification, column, consecution, continuity, course, file, gradation, group, line, list, procession, progression, range, row, run, scale, sequel, sequence, set, skein, streak, string, succession, suit, suite, tier, train


 
Of course it states for a group of things. But the word "series" here is singular, otherwise we couldn't say "A series" (note that "a" denotes singular form). So even though it refers to a group, the word itself is singular. Please, take a look at the definition.


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## Manupi

Polopino said:


> So would you also say "a bunch of flowers are coming for you"?


He would, no doubt.
Or: "A group of students are coming".


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## superstar

a series of exibitions *are* coming

because a series is implying there is more than one.

y punto en boca!


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> a series of exibitions *are* coming
> 
> because a series is implying there is more than one.
> 
> y punto en boca!


Ok, series implies that there's more than one. But series is a singular word. Even though it makes reference to a group. Please, just read the definition. And if it's plural, why is it used with "a" instead of "some"? 
It's like "group". Would you say that "group" is a plural word? It's exactly the same case.


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## superstar

but please the "are" in this case is not refering to series being a singular word if not that there is _a series_ meaning there is more than one and therefore making the verb "to be" plural.

The perfect example is "*they are*"


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## Manupi

superstar said:


> but please the "are" in this case is not refering to series being a singular word if not that there is _a series_ meaning there is more than one and therefore making the verb "to be" plural.
> 
> The perfect example is "*they are*"


 Series in this case refers to a group, that's one of its definitions. But if it is plural, what's the reason of "a", and not "some"? And would you say "A group of exhibitions are..."?


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## avivir

"People" can be confusing because there is only one form in English which translates into two forms in Spanish, one of which is plural and the other singular. You can see the difference in whether the word "the" is used. 
The people want. = La gente quiere. Esta hablando de un grupo grande, como el pueblo, la poblacion de un pais, etc. que talvez ni se puede contar.
People want. = Las personas quieren. Esta hablando de un grupo mas pequeño de personas, que mas facilmente se podria contar cada una. 

"Series" can be confusing because the singular form has an "s" so there is no change in the plural form. 
one series = una serie 
two series = dos series 
A series is coming. = Viene una serie. 
A series of exhibitions is coming. = Viene una serie de exhibiciones.


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## superstar

yes you would say "a group of exhibitions are coming" because a group is stating something that is plural.

it's "a" series because it's one group of things not various groups of things, but just because it's one group that doesn't mean that its singular.

for example one group of 5 people; is this context plural or singular?


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## superstar

avivir please look up a definition of series and you will see it's classed as a group and therefore plural.


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## avivir

One group of five people arrives every ten minutes. 
Two groups, of five people each, arrive every twenty minutes. 

one group = singular, arrives = singular 
two groups = plural, arrive = plural 

Don't forget that for the plural NOUN in English you add an "s" but for the plural VERB you remove the "s", just the opposite! 

By the way a "collective noun" is something different. It is for a thing that can't be counted and has no plural. Example: air.


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## superstar

Well I stick to my arguement and I'm not going to keep repeating myself as this thread is getting very long now LOL.

I hope this has helped you "protocolo", and not confused you completely. 
I think the best thing you could possibly do is ask an English teacher (somebody that knows without having to argue over it).

Best Wishes to all.

Oh and thanks for making my afternoon whiz by 

* Superstar *


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## avivir

superstar said:


> avivir please look up a definition of series and you will see it's classed as a group and therefore plural.


 
Exactly -- it's classed as A group. Not some groups. 

The singular form and the plural form are spelled the same. See the dictionary excerpt posted in this thread by Manupli. 

The verb should agree with the main subject not with its dependent clause.


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## eleonb

Jinti and Manupi (among others) explained it very clearly:
The *subject* is "a series" (singular), and not "exhibitions" (plural). So, "*A series* of exhibitions *is* coming".

Superstar:
I don't doubt about your good intentions, but you are definitely *wrong*, which is dangerously confusing for the non-natives who trust the natives like you, and even more confusing if you insist and insist.
Please don't be so stubborn, at least not in this forum. If you really want to help, and everybody says you're wrong, ask a teacher (as you suggested) before insisting so much. If you just want to feel that you "won a discussion", this is not the right place for that.
At least your sentence "just because it's one group that doesn't mean that its singular" made me laugh! 

Protocolo: Be careful who you trust in 

See you!
Enrique.


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