Find the Subject
The subject of a verb will never start with a word like
'of'. In the first example below, the subject is not 'of the offices' or 'offices'. It is
'evacuation', which is singular.
A phrase like 'of the offices' or 'of nails' (called a 'prepositional phrase') does not affect whether the main word is singular or plural.
Examples:
 The evacuation of the offices is the floor manager's responsibility.
("evacuation" is singular, hence "is" and not 'are')
A box of tapes were discovered in his car.
(The word "box" is singular. It should be 'was' and not "were".)
A combination of factors were the cause of the crash.
(combination is singular)
He [Bernard Shaw] hasn't an enemy in the world, and none of his friends like him.
(Oscar Wilde)
(Marking this wrong is a little harsh, but you should try to treat the word "none" as singular (if for no other reason than many of your grammar-savvy readers will want it to be singular). Therefore, "none of his friends likes him" is slightly more acceptable. Read the Beware section on the right.)
|
SUBJECT OF A VERB?
Verbs are doing words like 'to jump', 'to print', 'to be (am, are, is etc.)', 'to
see' etc.) (See lesson Verbs.)
The subject of a verb is the person or thing doing the action.
The mouse is still under the fridge.
("Mouse" is the subject of the verb 'to be'.)
Helen's boss drinks like a fish during the day.
("Helen's boss" is the subject of the verb 'to drink'.)
|
 |
 |
BEWARE OF NONE
There is a growing misconception that the word none is always singular. It's not. It can be singular or plural. However, this "rule" is so well promulgated, many of your grammar-savvy readers will expect it to be singular. If your none translates as not one, treat it as singular. If it better translates as not any, treat it as plural. Your best bet is to remove the prepositional phrase, and then play it by ear. Or, try your hardest to treat none as singular, but, if you can’t bear how it sounds, go plural.
None of them was present.
(of them – prepositional phrase)
None of them were present.
(If you can’t bear the first one, use were and fight like a cornered rat against your proof-reader.)
None of his friends is a lawyer.
None of his friends are lawyers.
|
|
Please tell us
You can ask us
Delicious
Digg
Facebook
reddit
Stumble