If 'couple' in "a couple of apples" is plural, how do you explain the singular determiner ('a')? 'A' means "one," I believe, and is therefore singular.
 
Paul


----- Original Message ----
From: Alison Cochrane <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 11:34:43 PM
Subject: Re: FW: Two Questions


FYI
 
A couple of... and a couple are also two different parts of speech.  A couple of is a quantifier which is an adjective.  A couple is a noun. 
 
There are a couple of apples.  This is plural because couple of modifies apples which is plural.
 
There is a couple.  As a noun, couple is singular because it is a collective noun.
 
Alison
 
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