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I sympathise with the ASp! aka enlightened self-interest 
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Carpal Tunnel
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agreement by proximity
Well I'm about to throw off the traces so I'll have to study this one at home (if a certain someone will allow me a little bit of computer time) but it looks like it's almost arguing my point.
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Carpal Tunnel
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No computer time for you this weekend, Faldage. Haarrumph®
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Carpal Tunnel
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More examples?
Basketball announcer during TV broadcast: "A limited number of tickets are now available."
[heard during Bulls-vs-Michael Jordan game {white}hi, musick!{/white}; posted during a commercial break]
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Keiva: I generally side with the pedants, but I think your example may not need correction. " A number of " almost always means more than one, so "A number........... are" seems acceptable.
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Carpal Tunnel
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"A number........... are"
Dear Dr. Bill,
If one accepts your view, does it not seem odd then that "a" is plural? And yet I see your logic.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Keiva: Perhaps I should have said: " A number is seven..............Seven are."
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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A variety of styles...
A number of...
These concepts are clearly plural in meaning if not in form. It's a question of whether we grammatize by form or meaning. A similar question might be raised about the choices the city expects ten inches or less of snow tomorrow or the city expects ten inches or fewer of snow tomorrow. If we went strictly by form the latter would be the correct version but we go by meaning (we're measuring snowfall not counting inches) making the former correct.
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addict
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...the city expects ten inches or less of snow tomorrow...
My Dear Faldage,
Must you ALWAYS mention snow?!?!?
Harummmmmmph,
Angel still tryin to get out the front door!
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From Jane Straus's Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, I offer some expert support for my contention that the plural form of the verb is correct in "She is one of those women who like football." Sparteye, where are you?Rule 12. If the pronoun who, that, or which appears as the subject in the middle of the sentence, you must decide whether to follow it with a singular or plural verb. In order to decide, look at the noun directly in front of the who, that, or which. If it is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
She is the secretary who write/writes the letters.
The word in front of who is secretary, which is singular. Therefore, use the singular verb writes.
He is one of the men who does/do the work.
The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb do.http://www.grammarbook.com/
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