Here's one for you grammarians

[desperance]

In the phrase "all manner of", is the word 'manner' singular as it appears, or is it some kind of hidden plural? Does one say "There was all manner of ways", or "There were all manner of ways"?

Comments

You do come up with the damnedest things, my dear.

[esmeraldus-neo.livejournal.com]

Match it to the noun you use.

A random dictionary gives "we saw all manner of people at the mall" as an example. "People" is a plural noun. Converted, it would be "There were all manner of people at the mall."

Contrast with "there was all manner of mayhem to be found in Los Angeles."

Re: You do come up with the damnedest things, my dear.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Thank you too! (How often does it happen, that everybody on the 'net says the same thing?)