HELP! Grammar question!

[Wallace]

Is it "The majority of the Shetland Isles is ..." or "The majority of the Shetland Isles are ..."

I thought is bwecause the Shetland Isles is one place, but spell check thought are. Now neither sounds right!

the subject of the verb is 'majority', not 'Shetland isles'.

majority is a singular noun, so it should be 'is'.

I think!

I'd say is, because as you say, it is one place.
what are you going on to say though...

majority of the Shetland Isles is covered in peaty grassland

majority of the Shetland Isles are accessible by ferry for much of the year...(this could still be IS though couldn't it)

Where is ks when you need her...

Oh very neat CarolinaMoon and you are absolutely right IS, Wallace!

"...enabled for broadband access"

I think I will go for is on the consensus so far

Or I could write " The majority of the islands of Shetalnd are.........

actually I think it's are, it's like saying "most of the Shetland Isles are..."
we are talking about the islands as individuals rather than the Shetlands as one place, surely????

is

definitely is

cm has it. the subject is "majority" therefore singular, therefore "is".

you have only one majority, so is is corrext.

Agree it sounds wrong though.

Why not say, "most of the Shetland Isles are...."

"Broadband access is available in most areas of the Shetland Isles."

It is definitely "is".

But if you said "most" instead of "the majority" I think you would use "are" ...

But the definite consensus is that they have got their act together up there WRT to tele-working etc

Thanks...I've stuck with is

Glad mumsnet is here for dilemmas like this!