Noun-verb agreement

[ksmith]

"A lifetime's worth" singular or plural?

Comments

[kfitzwarin.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'd go singular (a dollar's worth of paper is not worth much... A lifetime's worth of anger is....) But alas, that, like most of my grammar & stuff, is instinctive.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Mine, too.

I think it's singular as well. "Does he/Does she/Does a lifetime's worth..."

[ccfinlay.livejournal.com]

Singular. A lifetime's worth of life is just one life.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

And that makes complete sense, of course. And then I stare at it, and stare at it.

But then, some things just don't look right, no matter what. There are some words that I consistently misspell no matter how many times I look them up.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

And yet... "a lifetime's worth of roses."

What is the actual usage you are struggling with?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

My little blurb thingey: Does a lifetime's worth of royalty statements flash before their eyes as hit?

"Does" just doesn't seem right, yet lifetime's worth would be singular. But if it modifies 'royalty statements', which is plural...

I navigate grammar via the moon's phases and certain arcane words inscribed upon the walls of long-hidden caves. I am at a loss.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I think it's "Do."