native speaker errors Archives | RedLine Language Services LLC

Is a lot singular or plural?

May 6, 2014 by Matthew Kushinka

Is a lot singular or plural? The answer is “It can be either.” A lot can modify a noun, giving an indefinite idea of quantity. But it can be used on its own as an indefinite pronoun. Both of the following are correct: There is a lot of bread or There are a lot of […]

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: a lot with a plural verb, a lot with a singular verb, English, indefinite pronouns, native speaker errors, subject-verb agreement

there’s with plural nouns

July 13, 2012 by Matthew Kushinka

When I worked as a contract language tester for the FBI, my colleagues and I discussed the phenomenon of “native-speaker errors,” such as there’s with plural nouns. Native-speaker errors are mistakes in grammar, spelling, or pronunciation that speakers make in their first (and sometimes only) language. Below are a few examples from English: writing your […]

Filed Under: Linguistics Tagged With: Hyundai, Jeff Bridges, native speaker error, native speaker errors, there is with plural, there's with plural