Many small companies have difficulty growing because the number of orders becomes too large to handle.
Should I use become or becomes in this sentence? I don't know, but the sentence feels a little odd to me.
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3It's correct. Becomes refers to number and not orders. Number is singular, so the word describing it should be plural, hence becomes.– Dust_In_The_WindCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 17:57
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Thanks! Can you reply with an answer below so I can mark it as the answer?– arao6Commented Aug 17, 2014 at 18:05
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As this has been answered here before, an answer would not be appropriate.– Edwin AshworthCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 19:09
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Answered before at A number of questions "has been" or "have been" asked? (see Martha's answer).– Edwin AshworthCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 19:09
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2 Answers
Many small companies have difficulty growing because the number of orders becomes too large to handle.
In your sentence, you need to see what exactly is becomes describing. Whether you should use "become" or "becomes" depends on what the word intends to describe- number or orders.
because the number of orders becomes too large to handle
Here, becomes refers to number. Number is used as singular here, so you should use becomes.
When you intend to refer to orders instead, that is when you would use become, as in this (hypothetical) example:
Many small companies have difficulty growing because their orders become too large to handle.
Also take a look at this and this. They describe some basic rules to help deal with similar sentences.
answered Aug 17, 2014 at 18:15
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But that would change the meaning. It would mean that the size of individual orders become too large. What the OP wants to say is that the number of orders has become too large. They are two quite different things.– WS2Commented Aug 17, 2014 at 19:25
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I agree, which is why I said hypothetical example. The intent is to explain to OP that number of orders is described by becomes, and in some other context, orders would be described by become. I think it's perhaps clear to OP that the second sentence is just to show the difference in usage, without taking into account the change in meaning. However, if you think it necessary, please feel free to edit the example. Commented Aug 17, 2014 at 19:41
Many small companies have difficulty growing because the number of orders becomes too large to handle.
If you cross out "of orders," which is a prepositional phrase modifying "number," you see that the verb become is referring to number. Number is singular, so you would use becomes. "Of orders" can be safely ignored because it is a modifier:
Typically the modifier can be removed without affecting the grammar of the sentence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_modifier)
