Learn English – Singular or plural when referring to an event and a specific case of that event

Apparently, there are two ways we could go about/around this issue.

1. As Quantified Collective - treating the collective as the quantifiable:

   A {number of people} was offended by my opinion.
   A {lot of houses} was burned down.
   A {truckload of potatoes} was delivered.
   Three {truckloads of potatoes} were delivered.

2. As Quantifying adjective - treating the collective as adjective to quantity the noun:

   {A number of} people were offended by my opinion.
   {A lot of} houses were burned down.
   Not {a few} toes were curmudgeoned by my usage of the word curmudgeon.
   {Few} toes were curmudgeoned by my usage of the word curmudgeon.

The following makes the issue obvious:

"Lot" being used as quantified collective:

A lot of class-A shares was assigned to me to manage.
One lot of class-A shares was assigned to me to manage.
Three lots of class-B shares were assigned to me.

"Lot" being used as quantifying adjective:

{A lot of} shareholders were hurt by Madoff.
{Many} shareholders were hurt by Madoff.
{Twenty} shareholders were hurt by Madoff.

The context should spontaneously indicate collective or adjective usage.

A {box of CPUs} with lot-id 123A456 was registered at outgoing inspection gate.
{A box of} tomatoes were stolen from the warehouse.

"Few" is more likely used as quantifying adjective than as quantified collective, because you would never say,

Three few people were arrested.

(In fact, is "few" even a collective descriptor?)