Neither the apples nor the basket was/were expensive.

Neither the apples nor the basket was

expensive

Either you or John have/has to attend.

Either you or John has to attend.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Is/Are my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this

grievance?

Is my boss or my sisters in the union going to

win this grievance?

Ram or his brothers has/have done this.

Ram or his brothers have done this.

Either he or I am/is mistaken.

Either he or I am mistaken.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

RULE #1
If two nouns are connected by or, nor,
eitheror, neither.nor, not
onlybut also, the number and person
of the noun closer to the verb will
determine the number of the verb.

Note: The subject shall preferably be arranged in the

proper
second
person
first, third
person next and
Eitherorder
you or
I
not Either
I or you
first
person last.
Either he or I
not Either I or he
Either you or he

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

not Either he or you

Each of the boys was/were given a prize.

Each of the boys was given a prize.

A pair of scissors is/are missing.

A pair of scissors is missing.

Neither of the candidates are/is selected.

Neither of the candidates is selected.

Each of them have/has a good seat.

Each of them has a good seat.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

The number of students is/are thirty.

The number of students is thirty.

Nobody, not even the soldiers, stay/stays here.

Nobody, (not even the soldiers), stays here.

None of my relatives is/are poor.

None of my relatives is poor.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

RULE #2

When used as subjects, words like each, every, either,

neither, everybody, everyone, everything,
somebody, someone, something, anybody,
anyone, anything, nobody, no one, nothing,
whatever, whichever, whoever, many a, the
number of, a pair of, etc always take singular verbs.

Note: Many and a number of take plural verbs.

Nothing but can take both singular or plural depending

on the word that follows.
Nothing but books and music please him.
There are nothing but liars in here.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Ten rupees is/are a high price to pay.

Ten rupees is a high price to pay.

Five years are/is the maximum sentence for that offence.

Five years is the maximum sentence for that

offence.

Two kilograms of coffee cost/costs Rs. 200.

Two kilograms of coffee costs Rs. 200.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Fifteen gallons of chocolate milk make/makes Herbert, the

elephant a happy pachyderm.

Fifteen gallons of chocolate milk makes

Herbert, the elephant a happy pachyderm.

One thousand grams of jelly beans fill/fills the bed of Bettys truck.

One thousand grams of jelly beans fills the

bed of Bettys truck.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

 RULE

Use

#3

a singular verb with sums of

money, periods of time, and units of

measurement (distance, weight,
height).
April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Ram and not you have/has won the prize.

Ram (and not you) has won the prize.

The chief, with all his men was/were massacred.

The chief, (with all his men) was massacred.

Justice as well as mercy allows/allow it.

Justice (as well as mercy) allows it.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Clara, together with her teammates, present/presents a formidable

opponent on the basketball court.

Clara, (together with her teammates),

presents a formidable opponent on the
basketball court.

Sharon, along with her parents and brothers, has/have spent hours
lugging her treasured possessions to her third floor room.

Sharon, (along with her parents and brothers),

has spent hours lugging her treasured
possessions to her third floor room.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

 RULE

#4

When

two subjects are joined by

(parenthetical phrases) together with,

along with, as well as, besides, not, in
addition to, rather than, more than, as
much as, except, etc. when determining
whether to use a singular or plural verb.
April 17, 2016

Amrita University

My thanks are/is due to all my friends.

My thanks are due to all my friends.

The scissors are/is blunt.

The scissors are blunt.

A number of students was/were absent.

A number of students were absent.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Few has/have done their homework.

Few have done their homework.

My jeans has/have become old.

My jeans have become old.

Both do/does a good deal of work around the office.

Both do a good deal of work around the office.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

 RULE

#5

When

used as subjects, words like both,

many, few, a few, several, a number

of, scissors, pants, spectacles,
thanks, etc. always take plural verbs.
April 17, 2016

Amrita University

The majority have/has accepted the proposal.

The majority has accepted the proposal.

A majority of railway commuters reads/read while traveling.

A majority of railway commuters read while

traveling.

Most of the houses in the street has/have been built within the last
20 years.

Most of the houses in the street have been built

within the last 20 years.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

In the bank, most of our time was/were wasted in waiting.

In the bank, most of our time was wasted in

waiting.

All the money has/have been spent.

All the money has been spent.

All of the students knows/know the answer.

All of the students know the answer.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

 RULE

#6

Some

words such as all, more, most,

some, majority, half may take either

singular or plural verbs depending on the
meaning and also depending on whether
they are used along with countable nouns
or uncountable nouns.
April 17, 2016

Amrita University

Recent data show/shows that most college students are willing to

go into debt to buy appliances.

Recent data (plural) show that most college

students are willing to go into debt to buy
appliances.

Our criteria for stock selection are/is based on fundamental

analysis.

Our criteria (plural) for stock selection

based on fundamental analysis.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

are

 RULE

#7

When

foreign plurals (analyses, theses,

crises, bases, parentheses, curricula,
memoranda, data, bacteria, criteria,
phenomena, syllabi) or irregular plurals
(children, people) act as the subject, the
verb has to be a plural.

Note:

The plural word media is now

accepted to be treated as a singular
subject as it is acting as a collective noun.

April 17, 2016

Amrita University

April 17, 2016

Amrita University