Pedants help me please!

[loobrush]

If I wanted to write: "If one or more people ..." - should it be 'are involved' or 'is involved'?

Thanks in advance!

[RustyBear]

I'm never sure about this one, so if possible I'd say 'If it involves one or more people' - that way involves refers to 'it' which is definitely singular.

[cornsilk]

are

[cornsilk]

surely it's 'are' for people as it's a collective noun and 'is' for person.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

I vote 'are'.

[Bink]

Really it should say "if one person is, or more people are, involved ..." But, along jura's lines, I think we need to know your context. As do you really want to talk about one individual at all?

[Bink]

actually, no, reading that back, it should be "one person is, or two or more people are, involved"

[loobrush]

I haven't written this myself - it's a translation.

I want to say "If one or more brokers ensures/ensure delivery of the assets...."

Thanks again!

[Bink]

Well you could be devious and say "if delivery of the assets is ensured by a broker (or brokers) ..."

But given that it's a technical translation, perhaps you want to stick closer to the original?

[loobrush]

Excellent Bink - that would work perfectly. Thanks all!