There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. vs There were already fourty people there by the time we arrived.

The correct phrase is: 'there were already forty people there by the time we arrived.' 'Were' should be used instead of 'was' because 'forty people' is a plural subject. The verb should agree with the subject in number.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 861 views

There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived.

This phrase is incorrect. 'Was' should be replaced with 'were' to match the plural subject 'forty people.'

Incorrect - 'was' does not agree with the plural subject 'forty people.'

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 03, 2024

Mar 2, 2021 ... There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. find the error (english) Get the answers you need, now!
Dec 14, 2023 ... There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. Show transcript.
Nov 24, 2023 ... It was crazy! There was already fourty people there by the time . we arrived. There was already forty people there by the time we arrived. Show ...
Apr 2, 2024 ... There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. Asked in United States. Gauth AI Solution. 80%. There was already forty people ...

There were already fourty people there by the time we arrived.

This phrase is correct. 'Were' is the correct verb form to agree with the plural subject 'forty people.'

Correct - 'were' agrees with the plural subject 'forty people.'

Show examples from the web [+]

By the time we got back they were already...
By the time we saw it, they were already gone.
By the time we saw it, they were already gone.
The plan we won't be there by the time we arrived.
It should all be there by the time we get there.
So by the time we sounded the alarm, chips were already in a casino vault.
But by the time we got to the colonies, they were already at war with the centurions.
She should be there by the time i get home.
Your little pot shop is still there by the time we open,
By the time I got there, there were already thousands of people.
By the time we got there, there were people everywhere, a bunch of cars.
By the time we got suspicious, there were too many of them.
By the time we drove Gareth and his army back, there were bodies everywhere.
By the time we got where it hit the water, the people were already dead. Quan was gone.
We tracked them down through his Hydra Network, but by the time we located them, they were already dead.
By the time we got here, the guards and the inmates were already long gone.
I'll be out there by the time you find him.
But he'll be there by the time you need to ship out.
We could be halfway there by the time you two finish your goodbyes.
By the time I realized what was happening, they were already changing.

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There was already fourty people there by the time we arrived. vs There were already fourty people there by the time we arrived.