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So which is right:

there is an entire gamut of hidden costs associated with it OR

there are an entire gamut of hidden costs associated with it

user174222
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  • What does your dictionary say? – Dan Bron May 08 '16 at 14:38
  • plural of course. Just not sure that it is the right usage in this context. Is it? thanks – user174222 May 08 '16 at 14:40
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    Interesting. I can't find a single dictionary licensing 'A gamut of X are ...'. The only comment about plurality is 'singular in form' (ie gamuts is not acceptable). The question hinges on whether 'a gamut of X' is acceptably treated as a compound quantifier, like 'a host of' / 'a wealth of' etc, near-synonymous with 'many'.... – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 15:14
  • Google Ngrams for 'a wealth/gamut/host of is/are' seem inconclusive. – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 15:15
  • Related: Is “a wide range of features” singular or plural? (ie, '... Should one use a singular or plural verb-form?') – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 15:24
  • Firstly, you probably shouldn't use entire with gamut unless you are after a lot of emphasis. Entire gamut is redundantly superfluous. Gamut refers the complete range of possibilities. The usual phrase is runs the gamut. To say there is a gamut is pointless. There always is a gamut, the question is is the gamut represented in this instance. So your sentence should be recast something like The hidden costs run the gamut. – Phil Sweet May 08 '16 at 15:24
  • @Phil Sweet That's altering the sense. 'Ran the gamut' would be used to stress the diversity rather than the extent; OP's version stresses the extent. OP's version (with the 'entire' for emphasis) sounds more idiomatic here (probably with 'there is'). – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 15:32
  • Edwin Ashworth yes, i couldnt find any clear examples as well, so i guess @Phil Sweet's advice is to be followed since it makes sense. Shall rephrase. thanks everyone! – user174222 May 08 '16 at 15:32
  • @Edwin Ashworth yes, you are right when you say I wanted to emphasise the extent....but maybe it makes it too hard to comprehend ? – user174222 May 08 '16 at 15:34
  • I'd use 'There is an entire catalogue of hidden costs [associated with it]'. – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 15:39
  • @Edwin Ashworth Yes, that works better when you want to consider them as a set. Run the gamut has the aspect of taking things one at a time. "The council heard proposals that ran the gamut." Gamut works best when there is an ordered set or chain of events from beginning to end. – Phil Sweet May 08 '16 at 16:22
  • gamut is a terrible choice of words here. It means a musical scale. To run the gamut means to play an entire one-octave scale, metaphorically to try all the possibilities in a sensible order. "A gamut of costs" is nonsense. – Michael Lorton May 08 '16 at 16:25
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    @Malvolio I can't agree; I wouldn't use it (as I explain above), but the 'musical scale' demand is bordering on the etymological fallacy. The more common metaphorical usage is reasonable here, with denotation extensive range and connotation wide diversity. – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 16:37

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The first is correct, because the number of the verb must agree with the number of the actual subject of the sentence, which is gamut, whereas hidden costs is part of a prepositional phrase modifying gamut.

Nick
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    This has been covered so many times, and your answer shows a lack of understanding. Though majority is a singular-form noun, “The majority of internet users (68%) are happy to provide personal information online” is perfectly acceptable. "A wide range of features is/are available" are both fine. Would you say 'The United States are the third largest country in the world'? – Edwin Ashworth May 08 '16 at 16:30