The Third Person Plural of the verb "to be"

Paul Anthony

Paul Anthony

New Member
What is happening to the verb conjugation, "are"? Every time I hear people speak it's "is" this and "is" that instead of correctly saying, "are". Example: "There is three things I don't like when..." or, "There's three things I don't like when..." ("there's"--the contraction of "there is"). I hear newscasters, professors, and other teachers, most everyone speak like this. Why? Was it always like this and I am just noticing it now? You would never write like this, would you?
 

You're right. I never realized this before, but somehow the contraction sounds ok, but it really isn't, for the reason you gave. I don't know why we do this.

Why not go the the Introduction thread and tell us a bit about yourself?

Welcome to the Forum.
 
I wouldn't. You wouldn't. There are a lot of people who would and do. They also "seen" things, as in "I seen it happen."

It hasn't always been like this, and you aren't just noticing it now. Americans are becoming more and more "language lazy" even with the written word.
 

It's like the difference between British English and American English: Americans say "My family is going on vacation" because we consider "family" a unit, singular. I notice that Brits say "My family are going on holiday" because I guess "family" is considered a group or plural.

In any case, mah family ain't goin' on vacation, y'all.....("ain't" being good for either singular or plural south of the Mason-Dixon Line or wherever grits is/are found).
 
There's + plural has been around for a while. I remember having this conversation 40 years ago. I'm a former English teacher and editor.

Of course I would correct it, if it appeared in something I was editing. But generally it doesn't bother me.

In speech, I think most people find it easier to say "there's," rather than the two Rs so close together in "there are." That might be why there's + plural has become so common.

Welcome, @Paul Anthony !
 
jujube said:
It's like the difference between British English and American English: Americans say "My family is going on vacation" because we consider "family" a unit, singular. I notice that Brits say "My family are going on holiday" because I guess "family" is considered a group or plural.

In any case, mah family ain't goin' on vacation, y'all.....("ain't" being good for either singular or plural south of the Mason-Dixon Line or wherever grits is/are found).
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In the learning something new every day- I'd never heard of family being considered plural!! Interesting.
 
Nemo2 said:
The Brits often refer to a pregnant woman as being "In the family way" which is a definite case of plurality. 😉
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There were a lot of euphemisms for pregnancy back then: in an interesting condition, in a delicate condition, anticipating, waiting on a little visitor from heaven. "Up the pole" and "fell off the roof" seemed to be popular, too.

I have a letter that my great-grandmother wrote to my grandmother announcing my great-aunt's pregnancy. In it, she said, "Well, your sister is wearing a different kind of dress these days."

On the other hand, my other grandmother said that she asked her mother in 1908, "Mother, what does pregnant mean?" and her mother slapped her face and told her "If you want to talk alley-talk, go out in the alley and do it!"
 


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