Verb agreement: special cases in French

Read more about how to use Verb agreement: special cases in French.
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Verb agreement: special cases

Following terms like beaucoup de, trop de, une centaine de, etc., do we use a singular or plural verb? Good question.
• If the subject is a singular collective noun, then the verb takes a singular form. Examples: une foule (a crowd), la majorité (the majority), une bande (a gang), un grand nombre (a large number), une dizaine (ten or so), une centaine (a hundred), etc.
Tout le monde aime le chocolat. Everyone loves chocolate.
Une foule joyeuse accueillait le président. A joyful crowd welcomed the president.
La majorité vote pour la légalisation du cannabis. The majority are voting for legalisation of cannabis.
• For certain expressions of quantity followed by a noun (un complément), the verb must agree with the noun. Examples: la plupart (most), beaucoup de (a lot of), bien des (many), peu de (little/few), assez de (enough), trop de (too much/many), tant de (so much/many), combien de (how much/many), etc.

Beaucoup de personnes sont venues. A lot of people came. (Personnes is feminine and plural, so we use the feminine, plural form of venues).
Beaucoup de travail est nécessaire. A lot of work is needed.
Trop de soleil me rend malade. Too much sun makes me ill.
Trop de soucis me rendent malade. Too many worries make me ill.

Pro tip :
• Les gens (people) is a plural subject.
• La plupart (most) is usually used in the plural.
Les gens sont bêtes ! People are stupid.
Mes amis ? La plupart sont des extraterrestres. My friends? Most of them are aliens.

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