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May I know which sentence is grammatical?

Given n services in sequential composition, where each of them having l candidates, the total number of combination is l^n.

Given n services in sequential composition, where each of them having l candidates, the total number of combination are l^n.

Given n services in sequential composition, where each of them having l candidates, the total number of combinations is l^n.

Given n services in sequential composition, where each of them having l candidates, the total number of combinations are l^n.

william007
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  • @EdwinAshworth Thanks, but this does not answer it is "the number of combination" or "the number of combinations" – william007 Jan 25 '14 at 08:52
  • The linked article (and the number of other links given there to the same type of question is not inconsiderable) answers your question. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '14 at 09:00
  • @EdwinAshworth his question is different ? The question is not wether is/are should be used like "the total number of people is/are 4". He knows it is "is". – Argot Jan 25 '14 at 09:34
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    @Argot: Wrong. OP asks about the grammaticality of '. . .the total number of combination/s are . . .' in sentences 2 and 4. And questions like "Should it be 'the number of dog in the park' or 'the number of dogs in the park'?" certainly don't belong here. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '14 at 09:44
  • @EdwinAshworth what is OP ?? Not duplicate but related at best..operator ? I am good in abbreviations , I just can't hang on this one ! – Argot Jan 25 '14 at 09:48
  • OP (here at least) = 'original poster' or 'original post'. In this case, william007 or his 5 sentences at the top (and possibly his title phrase). – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '14 at 09:51

2 Answers2

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When the precedes number, agreement is singular. When a(n) precedes number, agreement is plural. In grammatical terms the difference is that number is the head of the subject phrase in the first case, but a premodifying element in the second. (Adapted from ‘The Cambridge Guide to Engish Usage'.)

It follows that to be grammatical you need the total number of combinations is. It has to be the plural , combinations, because you are clearly talking about more than one.

There’s something else needs to be fixed. The dependent clause following composition has to be either ‘where each of them has l candidates’ or ‘with each of them having l candidates’.

Barrie England
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  • How can we have 1 candidates ?? Please answer me... – Argot Jan 25 '14 at 09:06
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    I took 'l' to mean some indefinite number, rather than 'one'. If it is 'one' (1), then of course it should be followed by 'candidate'. – Barrie England Jan 25 '14 at 09:08
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    Certainly it would be less sensible to read that as a 'one'. Of course, we use 'x candidates' or 'y biscuits' or 'z miles' say to include all sensible numbers, including the value x or y or z = one. – Edwin Ashworth Jan 25 '14 at 11:33
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Combinations: ( by maths is fun .com )

"My fruit salad is a combination of apples, grapes and bananas" We don't care what order the fruits are in, they could also be "bananas, grapes and apples" or "grapes, apples and bananas", its the same fruit salad.

"The combination to the safe was 472". Now we do care about the order. "724" would not work, nor would "247". It has to be exactly 4-7-2.

So in first case, it would be the "total number of combinations" and in the second case, "combinations", e.g., the total number of combinations of fruit salad the dietician has prescribed to me is 4" and "there is a series of combinations to unlock that vault".

Argot
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