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Is singular or plural correct in this case?

We believe that 30 subjects put us comfortably above the field’s average for similar studies.

We believe that 30 subjects puts us comfortably above the field’s average for similar studies.

I initially thought it must be plural (as the 30 subjects are plural) but I am not sure if this is correct given that it is rather short for something like "testing 30 subjects puts us (...)". I am not sure which one sounds more correct to a native speaker.

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    I support your intuition that the singular, puts, is better. Another possible paraphrase would be Having 30 subjects puts…
    – PaulTanenbaum
    Commented May 25 at 20:15
  • Does this answer your question? "Two are better than one" or "Two is better than one"?. Notional agreement is far better here; subjects can't put 'us comfortably ...' ... it's the offering / teaching / taking ... of 30 subjects that must be involved. There's a deletion, and agreement should reflect the notion involved. Choosing plural-form 'put' sounds infelicitous.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented May 25 at 22:48

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Only the singular is correct. This is so because "30 subjects" is really an abreviation for something like " a result of 30 subjects", "an outcome of thirty subjects", or more relevantly in this case "a crop of 30 subjects", "a curriculum of 30 subjects".

  • We believe that 30 subjects puts us comfortably above the field’s average for similar studies.
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  • The category 30 subjects puts us, otherwise no. There is no abbreviation at all.
    – Lambie
    Commented May 25 at 19:15
  • @Lambie That would be saying that the subjects individually put the organization above the field's average. That is no the idea; the bulk of those 30 subjects is what does it.
    – LPH
    Commented May 25 at 19:17
  • I don't see a good reason to say that either is ungrammatical. One could say "Those 30 subjects put us", so why should it be ungrammatical without "Those"?
    – TimR
    Commented May 25 at 21:34
  • @TimR In "those 30 subjects" there is understated the idea that particular subjects are involved, and that, incidentally they are found in the number of thirty; that is, the idea that "thirty" is central is shifted to the idea that, somehow what is important is those particular ones.; in this case it becomes realistic to consider that each one of the subjects contibutes towards a build up above the average. But perhaps,I assume to much: instead of "a mass of thirty subjects" one should understand "thirty subjects among all of those we propose". (1/2)
    – LPH
    Commented May 25 at 22:13
  • @TimR I see now there seems to be not enough context. Nevertheless, assuming that the idea of mass is the right one I can't think of a clear point of view making "those 30 subjects put us …" unacceptable; perhaps, then it could be argued that this is not the best manner to underline the idea of mass, but I can't really come up with a clear deduction process. (2/2)
    – LPH
    Commented May 25 at 22:21

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