"Has" or "have"....AIBU to ask you which is correct in this sentence?

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

It would be reasonable to assume that with all the talk of integrated ideas that have been bandied about for years now

It's "Have been bandied about" yes? Rather than "Has"

Sorry to abuse AIBU but I want this settled....[grateful]

[Alambil]

have

[Alambil]

to expand... I think it would be one idea has been bandied about, but many ideas have been bandied about.

[AlexandraOrlov]

It's the talk that has, I'm afraid. The fact that ideas is plural is irrelevant here.

[AlexandraOrlov]

No no, Alambil, the idea/ideas are secondary to the first object, the singular talk.

[Sixweekstowait]

'Has' because ' the talk' is the subject of the verb and is singular not plural

[zombieme8]

Agree with Alexandra, it's 'the talk... that has'.

The 'talk' is what is being discussed and that is singular.

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

So it's "has"... I see now....thank you all!

[SmallLegsOrSmallEggs]

Yup. Definitely the talk.

If you change it to "would be reasonable to assume that with all the talk that has been bandied about for years about integrated ideas" it all becomes clear although I don't like the two abouts almost abutting

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

Thank you! Can I also ask should "double-check" be hyphenated? Sorry to use you lot as a grammar teacher

[Discopanda]

It depends on whether the subject is singular or plural.

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

Sorry Disco could you explain?

[sykadelic]

It's the "all" that's throwing it off imo because "all the talk" implies many talks.

It's a bit messy so I'd change it to something like: With the talk of integrated ideas being bandied about for years now, it would be reasonable to assume...

[Leelu6]

Agree it's a messy sentence...and should be 'has'.

I would remove talk and say:

It would be reasonable to assume that with all the integrated ideas that have been bandied about for years now

[confusedandemployed]

Alexandra is right. The talk has been bandied about. Doesn't matter how many ideas there are, they are not the subject of the sentence, the talk is.

[IguanaTail]

Yes - has is correct.

Double check is not hyphenated. Words are normally hyphenated if they are created as an adjective, like "a full-bodied red wine" or "a Tory-hating man" or "a mice-catching cat".

[ThumbWitchesAbroad]

Agree - the talk = singular so it's "has" but it's a clunky sentence, hence your confusion, so I also suggest simplifying it to remove the problem.