agreement

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Please check these sentences and correct them.
1-1. There [is, are] a dozen (of) pencils in the pencil case. [I think "a dozen (of)" can take either a singular or plural verb. Am I right?]
1-2. There [is, are] a couple (of) pencils in the pencil case. [What about "a couple (of)"?]
2. How much [is, are] 500 grams of calf?
3. How far [is, are] 10 kilometers? / Maybe you (will) have to walk [nearly for, for nearly, nearly] 3 hours.
4-1. The committee is/are walking to the restaurant.
4-2. The people/members of the committee are walking to the restaurant. [Which is the natural and common expression, 4-1 or 4-2?]
5. What percentage of the people in the world is/are illiterate?
Thanks a million.
Ann

[Pete]

-- These are what sound best to me:

1-1. There [<strike>is,</strike> are] a dozen <strike>(of)</strike> pencils in the pencil case. [I think "a dozen (of)" can take either a singular or plural verb. Am I right?] [I think it usually is plural; if you are specifically thinking of a dozen as a unit, it might be ok as singular.]
1-2. There [<strike>is,</strike> are] a couple of pencils in the pencil case. [What about "a couple (of)"?] [Use "of". Again, plural is what I would expect.]
2. How much [is, are] 500 grams of <strike>calf</strike> veal? [I think "is" would be much more common, but somehow I don't think "are" is absolutely wrong.]
3. How far [is, <strike>are</strike>] 10 kilometers? / <strike>Maybe you (will)</strike> You may/will have to walk [<strike>nearly for</strike>, for nearly, nearly] 3 hours. [I think "for nearly" is most natural.]
4-1. The committee is/are walking to the restaurant. [I gather that this is different in British and American English. My American ear finds "is" to be natural; I'm told that the British would use "are".]
4-2. The <strike>people/</strike>members of the committee are walking to the restaurant. [Which is the natural and common expression, 4-1 or 4-2?] [I find both to be natural. Assuming they are walking together as a group, I'd expect to hear 4-1 more often. If each is walking separately, 4-2 might be more likely.]
5. What percentage of the people in the world is/are illiterate? ["Are" sounds most natural to me. I don't think that "is" is wrong".]