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How should I use the verb in a case where I am refering to the plural but am finishing the sentence in singular?

Other ideas is for instance to take the bike.

Other ideas are for instance to take the bike.

Which is correct?

I can of course rephrase the sentence to something like:

Another idea is for instance to take the bike.

But the first-mentioned examples do tell the reader that more than just one other idea do exist, and that we just only tell one example among them. The latter example does not directly contain a clue for the reader as to the fact that there are more than just this one idea.

Is one of the first-mentioned versions possible?

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    ideas is plural, so you must use the plural verb form.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Oct 11, 2019 at 17:17
  • Other ideas is plural, but here there is only one other idea: to take a/the bike.
    – Lambie
    Commented Oct 11, 2019 at 17:33
  • You cannot combine ideas (plural) with only a single idea in that construction. You could, however, say other ideas include taking the bike. Or you could say another idea is to take the bike.
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Oct 12, 2019 at 15:50

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Your sentence, as written, doesn't really make sense either way because you are starting the sentence talking about multiple things but finishing it talking about just one.

I would reword it. You could use your idea or break it into two sentences.

There are other ideas. For instance, to take the bike.

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