Words such as majority, minority, and plurality can be

Question

Words such as majority, minority, and plurality can be either singular or plural depending on their context. So would the following be singular or plural?

The   majority   of the students in this class   are   hard workers

A  majority  of voters  is  opposed to the current policy. 

I learnt that if "one means the many individual parts of the totality, then use a plural form". However doesnt that rule seem to "clash" here? Why is it singular in one case and plural in another. In my opinion, in both cases the subject represents "many individual parts".....

Please chime in!! What am i missing here. 

FYI: The content is from a very good source. So i dont think the answers are inaccurate/wrong.

Darth_McDaddy · Answer

gmataquaguy, the examples you have given are consistent with the definition you have given.

You mentioned that "one means the many individual parts of the totality, then use a plural form". In your first example, hardworkers indicate that individual parts of a group are being referred to. Therefore use the plural here.

The second example refers to "a majority of voters" as a group of voters, in the sense that this group represents a single entity, and therefore the singular form is more appropriate. 

Hope this helps.

FN · Answer

Well in your second example, I think " A  majority...the A here is singular...


in the other example,  the  could be plural...

forrestgump · Answer

"The majority of the students in this class are hard workers "

"The majority of the students in this class,(like A, B, C...) are hard workers "
-----------------------------------

"A majority of voters is opposed to the current policy."

A majority of voters = a chunk of the voter group, a part which can in itself be considered a single entity.

gmataquaguy · Answer

Darth,
 In the first case i see how majority refers to the "many individual" entities. Meaning they arent acting collectively. However i dont see how a majority of voters represent a single entity. 

In the plural example "majority of students" refers to say student 1, student2, student 3, etc. Therefore they are acting as individual/separate entities. 

However i dont see how "majority of voters" are acting collectively together. I cant seem to discern the difference between the 2. 

regards,
gmataquaguy

gmataquaguy · Answer

Could someone answer the aforementioned question please?

Words such as majority, minority, and plurality can be

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