there is/are a group of people

[Nobody]

Hi Beeesneees,

1.There is/are a total of five people fighting each other in the park.

2.A total of five people is/are fighting each other in the park.

Is it fine to use ‘there is’ or ‘there are’ in the two sentences?

Thanks a lot.

[Beeesneees]

Both are possible, depending on whether you wish to emphasis the one (singular) total or the five (plural) people - though in this example I would say that using ‘are’ would be far more preferable and common than using ‘is’.

[Anglophile]

@E2e4

I still think my second sentence is acceptable. (At least in Informal English).
There is a group of people in the street. Fighting among themselves.

Why not this way?: ‘There is a group of people in the street, fighting among themselves.’ (In the first part we treat the group as a single entity, and in the second as individuals)

[Anglophile]

@Beeesneees

Both are possible, depending on whether you wish to emphasis the one (singular) total or the five (plural) people - though in this example I would say that using ‘are’ would be far more preferable and common than using ‘is’.

I would like Bev to review this answer.

It, in my view, should be … “preferable to and more common than” …

I have already posted this as a fresh question/doubt.

Let’s realize the truth that no one is infallible.

[Beeesneees]

It’s okay both ways.
As yhou decided to take the remark out of context and introduce another thread for some obscure reason I have answered there.