Grammar time!

[MiketheKid]

So my office is divided over this. Which is correct:

"Currently, there IS a total of three locations."

or

"Currently, there ARE a total of three locations."

This started because I thought the correct answer was "is", while Microsoft Word says the correct answer is "are". My reasoning is that the verb refers to "total", which is singular. Others say that you need to take the entire phrase "total of three" into account, which is plural. I still think I'm right, but I need more opinions. If I'm right, I will forever assume that I'm smarter than a computer.

[sparks1093]

There are three locations at the present time.

Currently, there are three locations.

Currently, there are a total of three locations.

I vote for "are".

[MiketheKid]

exactly what my friend said

i still say that since the verb is directly followed by the word "a", it makes it singular, and therefore "is" is correct

you could almost break the sentence down to "currently, there IS a total."

but lets hear more opinions....looks like the vote is tied at 1-1

[penny3333]

I vote for "is". "Is a total" "Are 3 locations".

[Dave]

Why even use "total" in the sentence? It is cleaner the way sparks has it: "Currently, there are three locations."

However, the subject and verb must agree and both either be singular or plural. Thus "are a total" is correct.

[MiketheKid]

yeah, i know the sentence is cleaner that way - but this is how i wrote it the first time, and it got me thinking

and dave - you are right that the verb and noun must agree....singular nouns require "is", while plural require "are"

but i guess what we differ over is what the subject of the sentence actually is - i beleive the subject is "total", which is singular, and therefore "is" would be appropriate...this is in contrast to thinking "three" is the subject, where "are" would be appropriate

i did start this thread with the intention of looking for advice, but the more i read it the more im convinced that "is" is correct...makes for an interesting discussion, at least

i found this link - look at the first example under #5

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handou...slsubverb.html

"One of the boxes is open"

[sparks1093]

Three of the boxes are open, too

[MiketheKid]

Three of the boxes are open, too

exactly! so "is" would be correct in the original example

i can't believe im debating grammar

[Dwayne]

I am going to stay out of this. I slept through grammar class.

Dwayne

[janfred]

I have been trying to find out for weeks what is a
DANGLING PARTICIPLE !! :0) Does this site have spell check if so how do you find it?