Quantity Phrases

[prepp]

On MGMAT SC pg 47 states:

Treat quantity phrases in the same way as SANAM pronouns. Noun in the of-prep phrase will indicate if the verb is singular or plural.

Considering this sentence:

The number of hardworking students in this ciass IS quite large.

Here, students is plural.. Should'nt the phrase take a plural verb then?

Please explain....

[tim]

"of hardworking students" is a prepositional phrase, so the subject is "number". don't let some arbitrary notion of rules override your common sense on these questions..