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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

16 replies

TheHouseOnTheLane · 06/11/2015 01:21

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]

OP posts:
Alambil · 06/11/2015 01:22

have

Alambil · 06/11/2015 01:23

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

AlexandraOrlov · 06/11/2015 01:23

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

AlexandraOrlov · 06/11/2015 01:24

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

Sixweekstowait · 06/11/2015 01:27

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

zombieme8 · 06/11/2015 01:29

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

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

TheHouseOnTheLane · 06/11/2015 01:34

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

OP posts:
SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 06/11/2015 01:42

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 · 06/11/2015 01:49

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

OP posts:
Discopanda · 06/11/2015 01:50

It depends on whether the subject is singular or plural.

TheHouseOnTheLane · 06/11/2015 01:52

Sorry Disco could you explain?

OP posts:
sykadelic · 06/11/2015 04:56

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 · 06/11/2015 05:09

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 · 06/11/2015 06:20

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 · 06/11/2015 06:24

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 · 06/11/2015 06:39

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.

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