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reason the family are suffering

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Abil  #539269  Thu, 10 Jul 08 12:43 PM
In the ever-shifting cloud, she does a bit of weeding and shows me one reason the family are suffering. (extract from BBC news)

My questions are:

a) Is family a plural noun?

b) Can we add "why " or "for which" after "reason" in the sentence?

In the ever-shifting cloud, she does a bit of weeding and shows me one reason why the family are suffering.

In the ever-shifting cloud, she does a bit of weeding and shows me one reason for which the family are suffering.

Thanks
  
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Marius Hancu  #539281  Thu, 10 Jul 08 01:18 PM
a) Both is/are are correct. Are stresses the existence of multiple members in a family, not of an unit. 

b) Yes 

  
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Abil  #539377  Thu, 10 Jul 08 04:21 PM
Thanks MH
  
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