Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sejpdw]

Which is right?
1. A few drops of oil works wonders.
2. A few drops of oil work wonders.

or Both of them are OK?

[CP]

Sentence 2 is right. The subject (drops) is plural.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[sejpdw]

Then
1. A few drops of oil is said to work wonders.
2. A few drops of oil are said to work wonders.

Which is right?

[CP]

The reason that 1 is more likely to be said than 2 is that what is really meant is "Application of a few drops of oil." Grammatically, I think it should take a plural verb because "a few drops of oil" is plural. But the intended meaning, and the received meaning, is that squirting a few drops of oil works wonders -- and that is singular.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[Mary W. Ng]

[Mister Micawber]

.
In addition to the notional concord (a few drops as a single dose), the sentences also exhibit concord of proximity (uncountable oil is nearer the verb than countable drops).

That's two concords against one (grammatical concord), and #2 could be considered the single correct version only on a language proficiency test or in an essay graded by a prescriptive grammarian.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[lotus]

Hi sejpdw,

One might avoid all of this by saying:

Just a few drops of oil will work wonders.


But if I had to pick, I would pick #1.


--lotus
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War does not make one great --Yoda