I was so confused when I read that sentence, because as far as I know, it should be «Almost 60% of people wanted…» » are written. If we consider that this percentage relates to a single group, I was enlightened by your blog! So I should say that the above statement is grammatically correct, right? Thank you very much! I hope for your answer! 12. Use a singulated verb for each ______ and many _________ 3. Group names can be given plural forms to mean two or more units and thus accept a plural verblage. Help me identify the subject and verb in «Mr. John likes to play basketball.» The phrase «some of» indicates a plural theme. So write «lawyers.» «Milk and butter» is an annoying singular, because «a lot» is the subject. It would be safer to rewrite the sentence: how much milk and how much butter is there in the fridge? Note that Rule 6 of the subject and verb agreement is: «Generally use a plural bural with two or more subjects when connected by and there.» There are exceptions to this rule when the subjects or subjects in the sentence form a single entity or unit, a collective idea, or a unit of the idea. (They called it «the same thing,» but it might be too restrictive.) Examples we have seen, where a singular verb is used with two themes connected by and are «peanut butter and jelly is my favorite nack», «Gain and loss are important for every business» and «spaghetti and meatballs go well with garlic bread». In these cases, the interpretation of the «unity of the idea» rests essentially with the author of the sentence.
In light of the above, either «loss of life and serious injury in our skies are unacceptable» or «loss of life and serious injury in our skies is unacceptable» is acceptable. I`m with Ron on this issue, and it even goes beyond common sense. It is not acceptable to extract the first word «one» in this context and call it the subject; the theme is «one in four people…. ». The words «one» are not prepositional, they all form the subject. Since «one in four people» represents a number of people of more than one, the subject is plural, so Ron is right. If you use your logic, you would say, «One percent (of a countable name) is white.» . . .
