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Shakespeare 
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 Topic: Are, or Is?
Posted: August 13 2007 at 19:49 |
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When referring to a band, for example, Mr. Bungle, do you say:
Mr. Bungle is a really great band.
or do you say
Mr. Bungle are are really great band.
I have seen both ways very often - particularly in reviews. Is one way grammatically correct? Which way do you prefer?
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Bj-1
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 19:51 |
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I use both actually, for some reason.
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RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
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Shakespeare
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 19:53 |
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Sorry that I didn't make both a choice.
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el böthy
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 27 2005
Location: Argentina
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Points: 6336
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 21:23 |
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Is... are just doesnt sound right... but then again, who am I, Mr English??
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"You want me to play what, Robert?"
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sircosick
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 29 2007
Location: Chile
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Points: 1264
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 21:29 |
I always use IS, but just for a matter of following the main english rules that they teach me in the school  My english keeps remaining rather limited. Anyway, a neccesary poll for those who don't speak english as a native language; it was always a doubt for me, and didn't know that you english people also has that language detail..... xD
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The best you can is good enough...
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The Doctor
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 21:29 |
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I think it's actually "be" as in "Genesis be a mad band, yo!"
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I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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VanderGraafKommandöh
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 22:05 |
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I always say "are" myself.
When referring to an individual artist, I refer to them as an "is".
A band consists of members, so therefore a band consists of "is's", so therefore a band is referred as an "are".
Actually, both can be used.
VdGG is a great band.
VdGG are great.
Both are correct.
Because I mention the world "band", I can say "is a", rather than "are a".
Edited by Geck0 - August 13 2007 at 22:06
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thellama73
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Posted: August 13 2007 at 22:31 |
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I use IS if the band name is singular "Genesis is" and ARE if it is plural "the Beatles are." Although occassionally I do slip up. I remember the first time I saw ARE used with a singular band name it blew my little mind. It was on a Queen greatest hits CD and it said "Queen are Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon." That just sounds wrong.
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The Miracle
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 00:10 |
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I use are just because I like it more. As james said, there's no particular grammar rule for it, it works both ways.
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Abstrakt
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 18 2005
Location: Soundgarden
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 03:21 |
It is excellent
They are Excellent
I use both, depends on the sentance for me
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Vompatti
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 03:28 |
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I'd rather say "King Crimson is a great band" than "King Crimson are a great band", but on the other hand I would never say "It has recorded some great albums." That said, I use both, depending on the sentence.
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Ricochet
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 03:56 |
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there was a thread like that before.
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laplace
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 04:00 |
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Mr. Bungle am a great band.
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Sean Trane
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Prog Folk
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 05:10 |
 Geck0 wrote:
I always say "are" myself.
When referring to an individual artist, I refer to them as an "is".
A band consists of members, so therefore a band consists of "is's", so therefore a band is referred as an "are".
Actually, both can be used.
VdGG is a great band.
VdGG are great.
Both are correct.
Because I mention the world "band", I can say "is a", rather than "are a".
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I use Word to write my reviews and use the English (UK) dictionary for correction, and it always gives a green underline below are and propopse is. I prefer "are" even if the name of theband propses it as a single unit (threfore "is"), but I can't help but feeling of a group as a collection of individuals which cannot be reduced as a single unit >> therefore I use "are"
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 06:52 |
I try and stick to "are" for a band, group or collective and "is for an individual but occasionally lapse if I'm in a hurry and not thinking - as others have pointed out some times it just sounds wrong, but that does not make it wrong.
Band names that are singlular out of context, like Queen, are still a collective and should be plural - "Queen is Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon" sounds even more wrong because it is wrong, whereas "The Queen is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor" is correct.
Vompatti inadvertantly suggested the test - if you can substitute the name for "it" or "he" or "she" then use "is", but if "they" is the only suitable replacement then it has to be "are" - there are no exceptions - if you substitute "he" for "Mr Bungle" and still think that 'is' is appropriate then it suggests to the reader that you do not know who "they" "are" 
Edited by darqdean - August 14 2007 at 06:54
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What?
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Shakespeare
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 18 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 7744
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 09:56 |
Sean Trane wrote:
Geck0 wrote:
I always say "are" myself.
When referring to an individual artist, I refer to them as an "is".
A band consists of members, so therefore a band consists of "is's", so therefore a band is referred as an "are".
Actually, both can be used.
VdGG is a great band.
VdGG are great.
Both are correct.
Because I mention the world "band", I can say "is a", rather than "are a".
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I use Word to write my reviews and use the English (UK) dictionary for correction, and it always gives a green underline below are and propopse is. I prefer "are" even if the name of theband propses it as a single unit (threfore "is"), but I can't help but feeling of a group as a collection of individuals which cannot be reduced as a single unit >> therefore I use "are" |
It underlines it because it recognized the word "Genesis" as a singular noun (which it is), but not as a group of five people. Just throwing that out there....
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Shakespeare
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 18 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 7744
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 10:01 |
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The bio in the booklet/poster of the Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection begins with the line: "Yes are one of the finest bands to emerge from the golden age of rock."
That sounds a bit strange to me.
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1800iareyay
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2006
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Points: 2492
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 10:05 |
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Are is grammatically correct, even though it sounds bizarre. I still use is because people look at you funny when you say are
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Ely78
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Joined: July 20 2007
Location: Italy
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Points: 169
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 10:11 |
In Italian is "Is" because band or group is only singular.
But I prefer the variant that in English group or band is a group of person. For these reason I use are. I don't speak only for me because Mandrakeroot is in my line of thinking.
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When the love becomes poetry, distant from the eyes
(Quando l'Amore Diventa poesia/ Lontano Dagli occhi [Aphrodite's Child)
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Philéas
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 14 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 6419
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Posted: August 14 2007 at 22:52 |
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I'd say "Genesis is a great band" but "Genesis are making great music". If the word band is in there somewhere, I tend to use "is", I think. It depends...
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Are, or Is?
