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I've got a question with regard to an English sentence. Can anyone tell me whether the following sentence is correct?

What are the main prospects and challenges for non-euro area countries who/that consider(s) to become member of the European Banking Union.

So I'm doubting whether I should use who or that and whether consider is written with or without s.

Thanks a lot!

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    ... that are considering becoming members of... Commented May 22, 2016 at 15:10
  • You aren't doubting: you're questioning. This is a common misuse of doubt by English learners. Commented May 22, 2016 at 16:30
  • @tchrist: it's also a common misuse of doubt by Indian speakers of English. Commented May 22, 2016 at 17:03

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It doesn't much matter if you use who or that.

But there are several other mistakes in your sentence, so for the benefit of space I post this as an answer.

The main problem with your sentence (which is a question and deserves a question mark) is that consider to become member does not make sense. You can be considering membership of the EBU, or considering becoming a member. But it is not idiomatic for a country to consider to become a member.

You would in any case need the plural verb consider (rather than considers) to agree with countries.

And member either needs an indefinite article -if singular, but to agree with countries it really needs to be plural. So in all:

What are the main prospects and challenges for non-euro-area countries that are considering membership of the European Banking Union ?

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    There's nothing wrong with considering becoming something. Moreover, aspiring gives a slant that isn't present in considering, which is more neutral. Perhaps a smoother wording would be, "... countries that are considering membership in the EBU". Commented May 22, 2016 at 15:38
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    @Théophile Your suggestion is good - apart from your use of "in": it should be "... countries that are considering membership of the EBU". Commented May 22, 2016 at 17:35
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    @TrevorD I think both are fine; in fact, Google Ngrams shows a slight preference for in. Commented May 22, 2016 at 19:45
  • @Théophile I have absolutely no objection to considering becoming a member of the EBU, or considering membership. But considering to become a member is not idiomatic. I take your point about aspire. Commented May 22, 2016 at 21:22
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    @TrevorD I agree. And I will amend my answer, Commented May 22, 2016 at 21:23
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This website will solve your confusion between the words like which, that and who. As far as the word 'consider' is concerned, there won't be 's' because of the plural word "countries". Whenever you have a confusion, just replace the noun with the corresponding pronoun. For example, replace 'countries' with 'they'. Now, which sounds correct: They consider or they considers? Obviously the first one. This is the cheap trick which I use whenever in such kind of a dilemma.

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    Unfortunately, consider can't take an infinitive complement with Equi; i.e, *They consider to join the Union is ungrammatical, as @WS2 has pointed out. Commented May 22, 2016 at 15:32

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