Search results for 'tag:Singular verbs tag:Plural subject' matching tags 'Singular verbs' and 'Plural subject'

Re: What is Concord?

Yoong Liat — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:49:57 GMT

Hi B-A

Below is for your information.

What is âconcordâ?There must be grammatical logic or coherence in the links between parts of a sentence. This is called 'agreement' or 'concord'. EXAMPLES The boy is swimming.
[singular subject, singular verb form]

The boys are swimming.
[plural subject, plural verb form]

The shop [singular] opens at nine o'clock. On Thursdays the shops [plural] open late. Sometimes confusion occurs because a statement begins in the singular but then drifts into the plural: wrong
It can be argued that a person has the right to know when they are dying. The easiest solution to this problem is to make the subject plural and its verb plural as well: correct
It can be argued that people have the right to know when they are dying. Sometimes a singular noun is used to denote a plural or a collective thing - such as 'government' or 'parliament'. Either the singular or the plural verb form may be used - but the important thing is to be consistent. wrong
The government prefers to let matters rest, but events may make them change their minds.correct
The government prefers to let matters rest, but events may make it change its mind. correct
The government prefer to let matters rest, but events may make them change their minds.

Re: Three out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also own a bicyle

Avangi — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:02:12 GMT

Kprasadreddy
Three out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also own a bicyle

One out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also owns a bicyle

Kprasadreddy
Thanks but can you explain the grammar behind it?

In your first example, "three" is the subject of the sentence. The prepositional phrase "out of etc." modifies "three." The plural subject requires the plural verb, "own."

The subject of your second sentence is "one," which is singular and takes the singular verb "owns."

The separate issue, "bicycle(s)," is something I'm not sure about. If you say "'Three people own a bicycle," it could be interpreted to mean that they all share in the ownership of a single bicycle. In the present example, context would rule that out; but "Three people own bicycles," could mean that A owns one, B owns one, and C owns five - equals seven bicycles all together. (You might argue that that doesn't matter.)

Best regards, - A.

Re: He and She are/is, none are/is

Anewcomer — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 06:27:00 GMT

Â Hi check these please:Â

Neither you nor he is giving me present

(do we use singular verb with "neither" or plural verb with "neither"? Â Are we supposed to follow the second subject (HE) to determine the "to be" (is) orÂ is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

You or he is confronting them

(do we use singular verb or plural verb with "OR"?Â Are we supposed to follow the second subject (HE) to determine the "to be" (is) or is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

For "either" do we use singular verb or plural verb?

Â (Are we supposed to follow the second subject to determine the "to be" (verb) orÂ is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

Re: Is this correct grammatically (British Rnglish)!!!!

Clive — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:01:30 GMT

Hi,

. . . amenities that make your home the world. This is fine.

Amenities make . . . a plural subject needs a plural verb.

An amenity makes . . . a singular subject needs a singular verb

Consider He cooks dinner. They cook dinner.

Clive

Re: take away all utensils from table

Avangi — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:02 GMT

Anonymous wrote:

I went to a hotel restaurant and sat down in the dining room. There was a glass and some dirty utensils which had been used by a previous customer. So I told the waiter to please take away all the dirty utensils first, and then serve me.

There may be a rule allowing a singular verb with the plural subject in this case (because of proximity) - I'm not sure. There were a glass and dirty utensils sounds terrible. What to do? Help!

Re: The correct verb to use.

Mister Micawber — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 02:40:32 GMT

Well then, let's see your answers first, William. The rule being tested here is singular subject takes singular verb (The hat is brown) and plural subject takes plural verb (The hats are brown).

Re: Singular or Plural Subject?

Kooyeen — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:20:25 GMT

Hi,
what is "Dual Blades"? Is it the title of a movie? Is it a person's name? Is so, you need a singular verb.

Re: Somebody.....problem

Goodman — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:21:31 GMT

Here is an article Iâve found in the interest of singularity and plurality. It may be helpful in answering some of the questions.___________________________________________________________

Is None Singular or Plural?

By Diane Sandford

Published July 21, 2003

Welcome to a new feature from LLRX: a column on grammar. Grammar? Who cares about grammar? You should. How you write makes a strong impression on all your working relationships. Of course, I'm interested because I find it fun. It can even be billable! I once spent hours meticulously diagramming a section of the CFR for a litigation partner to help him determine the intent of a regulation. He later asked just what the correct term was for people like me - those odd individuals who like to edit, diagram sentences, and debate about things grammatical. I was quick to respond, "Grammar Goddess, of course!"

Every firm can use a grammar goddess (or g-d). With my trusty style manuals, dictionaries, and grammar books by my side, I plan to take a look at common questions of grammar that arise during the work day and share the answers with you. Rarely a day goes by that I'm not asked a grammar question.

Â· Should certain words in a title be capitalized?

Â· Should a sentence with ambiguous antecedents be recast ? (Yes!)

Â· Does a closing quotation mark go before or after the period? (After.)

Recently, a summer associate asked whether the indefinite pronoun none was singular or plural. She asked because she wasn't sure which form of verb to use with it, singular or plural. I suggested that she think of none as not one, and that quickly resolved the issue.

Indefinite pronouns by definition reference nonspecific things or people. Most of these pronouns take a singular verb, some are always plural, and a few may be either singular or plural. Take a look at the lists below, and you'll notice that most indefinite pronouns are singular.

Â· Singular: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, many a, neither, no one, nobody, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone

Â· Plural: both, few, many, others, several

Â· Singular or Plural: all, any, none, some, such

A good rule of thumb is to treat most indefinite pronouns as singular and try to remember the few exceptions.

Example 1: Neither of the attorneys (was/were) available for comment.
Think: Not one of the attorneys was available for comment. (singular subject/singular verb)

Example 2: None of the documents (is/are) identified in the brief.
Think: Not one of the documents is identified in the brief. (singular subject/singular verb)

Example 3: Some of the arguments (was/were) weak.
Think: More than one of the arguments were weak. (plural subject/plural verb)

On the surface, indefinite pronouns seem simple and harmless, but they often cause confusion for writers. Try rephrasing the sentence by replacing the indefinite pronoun with some of the suggested variations above, and you'll usually make the correct choice.

If you are interested in a more extensive discussion of indefinite pronouns, take a look at Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (available in print only) or visit www.bartleby.com, one of the most useful web resources for writers, editors, and researchers alike. Simply enter a free-text search or select a specific reference title to search from the pull-down menu (e.g., Strunk's Style).

Do you have a grammar question? Comments

Re: Are or is?

Buddhaheart — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 06:46:08 GMT

According to Answers.com, although "none" is etymologically derived from OE "one", it has been used as both a singular and a plural word from that time on as evident in the Bible, works of J. Dryden & E. Burke and many present day well known authors. Today "None" is considered to be shortened form of "not one; no one & not any" as any lexicons will tell you.

Depending on the context, it can take a singular or plural verb. This seems to be the view of most people. I wonât go too far to say thereâs only one correct form, i.e. the singular!

Examine the example "There is none left." If the context is I need another red pencil but not one is available, the singular verb makes sense. In "None of us are grammarians", the plural verb makes sense as "none of us" here means "not any of us". The plural sense (all of us) is implied. In Anonymous question, the plural form "are" is acceptable (IMO).

The indefinite pronoun is actually used as a plural subject more often than not. To the purist & strict theorist, this sounds odd and unsettling. Well, the English language, like any other isnâât really an exact science.

To add confusion, hereâre some more lexicon & grammar text examples:

"None have (has) arrived yet.ââ
"There is none of it left."
"None of the apples are rotten."

"None of my children has/have blonde hair."

"None of his poems are well known."

""None but fools have ever believed it."

Re: a large number has / have

Ouc — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 18:36:57 GMT

Number. Like other collective nouns number may take either a singular or a plural verb. Unlike most of them, it admits of a simple and logical rule. When all that it is doing is forming part of a composite plural subject, it should have a plural verb, as in:

A large number of people are coming today.

But when it is standing on its own legs as the subject it should have a singular verb, as in:

The number of people coming today is large.

The following are accordingly unidiomatic:

There is a number of applications, some of which were made before yours.
There is a large number of outstanding orders.

The true subjects are not "a number" and "a large number" but "a-number-of-applications" and "a-large-number-of-outstanding orders".

Of the following examples the first has a singular verb that should be plural and the second a plural verb that should be singular.

There ~~was~~ also a number of conferences calling themselves peace conferences which had no real interest in peace.
The number of casualties in H.M.S. Amethyst ~~are~~ is thought to be about fifteen.

Those kind of things. The use of the plural these or those with the singular kind or so

FromTroubles With Number http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/gowerse/complete/chap904.htm