A plethora of people are vs A plethora of people is

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'A plethora of people are' is used when referring to the people within the group, treating them as individuals. 'A plethora of people is' is used when referring to the group as a whole. The choice between 'are' and 'is' depends on whether the emphasis is on the individuals or the collective group.

Last updated: March 31, 2024 • 4932 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the individuals within the group.

"A plethora of people are"

This phrase is used when the emphasis is on the people within the group, treating them as individuals. 'Are' is the plural form of the verb 'to be.'

Examples:

A plethora of people are waiting for the concert to start.
A plethora of people are interested in the new technology trends.

Show examples from the web [+]

In Iraq, in a situation of total confusion, people are being kidnapped by murderous criminal gangs hiding behind a plethora of abbreviations for Islamic fundamentalist groups.
The Caucasus have a plethora of highly endemic spider species.
'Cause I've got a plethora of options.
Legal uncertainties have led to a plethora of appeal procedures and national and European court cases.
The investors concerned would therefore probably be overloaded with a plethora of information.
There is such a plethora of unfinished business in the room tonight.
The lieutenant is a plethora of contradictions.
A plethora of late nights bleeding into morning.
They were debating a plethora of European Commission proposals to modernise food labelling amid a future overhaul of the Common Agricultural Policy.
But a plethora of national rules makes land transport very difficult.
Well, I suspect that yielded a plethora of hits.
We have a plethora of instruments at our disposal.
However, between Malee and Wyatt, a plethora of lovey-dovey emojis.
Besides a plethora of SMEs, there are a number of large undertakings.
Mr President, this report by Mr Cornillet contains a plethora of valuable suggestions and justified demands.
Pandora is an archetypal figure, present in a plethora of cultures.
Our most deprived urban neighbourhoods face a plethora of problems: high unemployment and often very low-paid precarious employment, poverty and social exclusion.
An elegant worsted wool jacket over a plethora of plaid, with a hint of polka dot.
Disbelief turned into incomprehension, to grief, to sympathy; a plethora of emotions as we watched the tsunami tragedy unfold.
A plethora of soft law measures has merely added to the legal inconsistencies.

Alternatives:

Many people are
A large number of people are
Numerous people are
A multitude of people are
A crowd of people are

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the group as a whole.

"A plethora of people is"

This phrase is used when the emphasis is on the group as a collective entity. 'Is' is the singular form of the verb 'to be.'

Examples:

A plethora of people is expected to attend the event.
A plethora of people is a good sign for the community.

Show examples from the web [+]

In Iraq, in a situation of total confusion, people are being kidnapped by murderous criminal gangs hiding behind a plethora of abbreviations for Islamic fundamentalist groups.
The Caucasus have a plethora of highly endemic spider species.
'Cause I've got a plethora of options.
Legal uncertainties have led to a plethora of appeal procedures and national and European court cases.
The investors concerned would therefore probably be overloaded with a plethora of information.
There is such a plethora of unfinished business in the room tonight.
The lieutenant is a plethora of contradictions.
A plethora of late nights bleeding into morning.
They were debating a plethora of European Commission proposals to modernise food labelling amid a future overhaul of the Common Agricultural Policy.
But a plethora of national rules makes land transport very difficult.
Well, I suspect that yielded a plethora of hits.
We have a plethora of instruments at our disposal.
However, between Malee and Wyatt, a plethora of lovey-dovey emojis.
Besides a plethora of SMEs, there are a number of large undertakings.
Mr President, this report by Mr Cornillet contains a plethora of valuable suggestions and justified demands.
Pandora is an archetypal figure, present in a plethora of cultures.
Our most deprived urban neighbourhoods face a plethora of problems: high unemployment and often very low-paid precarious employment, poverty and social exclusion.
An elegant worsted wool jacket over a plethora of plaid, with a hint of polka dot.
Disbelief turned into incomprehension, to grief, to sympathy; a plethora of emotions as we watched the tsunami tragedy unfold.
A plethora of soft law measures has merely added to the legal inconsistencies.

Alternatives:

A large group of people is
A multitude of individuals is
A crowd of individuals is
A large number of individuals is
Numerous individuals is

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A plethora of people are vs A plethora of people is