Which is correct GRAMMAR?

[AviatorTom]

Which of the following statements is correct grammar in standard English?

1. The group of apples are ripe.

2. The group of apples is ripe.

Please vote in the poll below.

#1 - "The group of apples are ripe." is correct

#2 - "The group of apples is ripe." is correct

#1 and #2 - They are both correct... "The group of apples is/are ripe."

Neither is correct - all the apples are rotten

Updates

+1 y

The correct answer is... it depends.
In American English, "group" is singular, therefore the singular verb "is" is correct... "The group of apples is ripe."
In some other English variants, British English for example, collective nouns like "group", "team" etc. are considered plural, and take the plural verb "are" ... "The group of apples are ripe."

It's interesting that the poll results confirm that, with about the same number of people preferring "is" as prefer "are".

[BlissfullyCurSed]

Are collective nouns singular or plural?
Collective nouns are most commonly treated as singular (e. g., “the herd is grazing”), but usage differs between US and UK English:

In US English, it’s standard to treat all collective nouns as singular, even when they are plural in appearance (e. g., “The Rolling Stones is …”). Using the plural form is usually seen as incorrect.
In UK English, collective nouns can be treated as singular or plural depending on context. It’s quite common to use the plural form, especially when the noun looks plural (e. g., “The Rolling Stones are …”).

by taking the info above into consideration, it depends on context. I picked the option c; however, the answer is probably B. I still think it is heavily dependant on context thougj. I mean what kind of apples you're talking about. Red, green or even gold lolol.. they can come in all colours. They are all indeed apples, but not of the same kind which means one can easily pluralise the noun "apple".

[BlissfullyCurSed]

I am not even a native speaker, but I got this one correct.😊😊

[WindAtMyBack]

A collective noun can be either plural or singular. It partly depends on whether it is AmE or BrE.

AmE tends to treat collective nouns as singular, and BrE tends to treat them as plural. BUT, that doesn't always hold true. It needs to be logically correct as well as grammatically "correct". I would even say that logically correct ALWAYS takes precedence over grammar. It also depends on a group of what? Is the group countable or non-countable? It depends on whether the group is acting as a group or acting individually.

"The group of apples is ripe" doesn't make sense logically. Individual apples can be ripe. A "Group" can not be ripe.

"The group of apples are ripe" makes a lot more sense logically.

The group is not ripe. The apples are ripe.

If some "rule" of grammar says otherwise, then the "rule" needs to change. That's assuming there is any such thing as hard rules of grammar.

[zeitgeist057]

But let's say we have apples that we've grouped, whatever we call that grouping. Or maybe better yet, avocados, since we know that they take a while to ripen after picking. So we have groups of avocados, A-F. The first group, A, has become ripe. Would we say Group A is/are ripe? You would still say the group is ripe even if a couple individual avocados might not be. I think you can say it either way. A group is singular (even though it's plural in that it contains more than one, which makes it a group). Also this works for a group of people. The group is ready vs. the group are ready. Actually, now that I say it, I'm less sure. I'm leaning toward the singular "is".

[WindAtMyBack]

@zeitgeist057
I think I would say "Group A is ripe". That is different than "A group of avocados".

"now that I say it, I'm less sure"

Probably the large majority of native speakers are the same. That basically means it doesn't matter.

[TheRealPepperPotts]

"The bushel (singular) [of apples] is ripe". Hopefully. Otherwise I want my money back...

"The apples (plural) are ripe" would be another way of saying it.

"The ripe apples are ready to eat"

"Ripe apples, those are" ~Yoda

But then, what do we mean by ripe? Because if we are saying the apples smell ripe, then do those apples smell ripe, or are they RIPE?

How 'bout them apples?

[purplepoppy]

We use "are" in English when referring to groups

The man is sleeping.

The men are sleeping.

[Chazmatazz269]

That’s a different example. Try “The group of men is/are sleeping.”
You’ve changed the subject from plural “men” to singular “group”. The correct verb for a singular subject is ‘is’. “of men” is a modifier of the subject, not the subject itself, and therefore doesn’t modify the verb.

[purplepoppy]

It's still the group of men are sleeping.

[Chazmatazz269]

The “group” is your subject and it’s singular. Therefore the second option is grammatically correct. “of apples” is a modifier of the subject, not the verb. The easiest way to solve that question is to remove the modifier and read the sentence again. ‘The group are ripe.’ ‘The group is ripe.’ Once you’ve done that, you can confidently replace your modifiers knowing you got it correct!

[Chazmatazz269]

Per the update, NONSENSE!
Making being wrong customary doesn’t make it right. “Group” IS singular. As proof, you can and will find the use of the word ‘groups’ in British language, written and spoken. If “group” is plural, there is no use for “groups”. Therefore the use of “group” as plural may be an accepted deviation, but it is still grammatically incorrect.

[loves2learn]

“Are” *sounds* more correct but I think in this context it’s actually “is.”

[Astarlessnightsky]

The group... is ripe

the group is singular and thusly the verb has to be singular as well.

[strateguy632]

no more scool exams...

ability means "can" or means "the thing you pay electric company",

defeat means overcome or a part by "de legs",

all grammar gets a trophy. j. k

[ellefia]

The correct statement is:
2) The group of apples is ripe.

[TommyMountainFigure]

I thought an apple is ripe, but apples ARE ripe! The 'group' is a red herring

[NathanDavis]

this is a group of ripe apples...

[AviatorTom]

What if they're rotten... "This is a rotten group of apples" ?

[NathanDavis]

this is a group of rotten apples... wot the fok?

[Meropatrick]

Group means we are talking about 1 collection. So we dont use are

[Caroline91]

2 group is the subject is the sentence and takes a singular verb

[SaoirseS]

Since when do apples come in groups?

[AviatorTom]

Gotta admit it's better than "a murder of grows" 🤔

[AviatorTom]

Sorry typo, caused by auto-correct... "a murder of crows"

[SaoirseS]

Another one of your trick questions 😀

[purplepoppy]

Two crows are called attempted murder

[FunkyMonkee]

The apples ARE there, it's just that no one wants to buy them.
Would you like to buy my apples?

[Zenpanda]

"The group" is singular so "is".

[RedInnocent69]

“Are” agrees with “group”.

[BCRanger10]

Option B.

[OlderAndWiser]

The group IS ripe

[exitseven]

The apples are ripe.

[Kathy1111]

the 1first one

[ApplePie409]

Are...