In Singular verbs^x, Clauses^x

It is essential to develop and maintain positive relationships with families and the community in promoting academic success.You are indeed correct, but this sentence is not really comparable to the original; you are more than rewording-- you are restructuring here, Nikko. Now, the introductory...

1-- That refers to grouping. That works as it often does: as a subordinating conjunction for the adjective clause modifying grouping. 2-- Yes, singular subject, singular verb: layer represents. 3-- No! Now you have no verb in your dependent clause. An Active Directory hierarchy in...

First of all, the verb phrase "was/were hurt" refers to none of the officers. Shooting is a subject of the first clause, so don't worry about it. None of the officers should be followed by a singular verb in a formal style in British English, i.e. ...but none of the officers was hurt. However,...

Yes, 'set' and 'group' are collective nouns -- nouns treated a singular (one set, two sets) but which in themselves represent a collection of items. In AmE, a collective noun takes a singular verb when it refers to the collection considered as a whole, as in 'my family is going to Korfu for the...

You're right that the subject "none" calls for a singular verb, but the "if" makes the clause conditional, so "were" is correct. Similar examples: "If it were up to me..." and "If I were you..." Sweeney Todd is a musical about a murderous barber.