Page 113 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A g r e e m e n t b e t w e e n s u b j e c t a n d v e r b ( 2 )

With any of, each of, either of, neither of, or • I don't think any of them knows (or
none of and a plural noun we can use a know) where the money is hidden.
singular or plural verb. However, we prefer a • Neither of the French athletes has (or
singular verb in careful written English. have) won this year.
With a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, • A number of refugees have been turned
plenty of, all (of), or some (of) and a plural back at the border.
noun we use a plural verb. But if we say the • The number of books in the library has
number of, we use a singular verb. risen to over five million.
With any of, none of, the majority of, a lot • All the furniture was destroyed in the
of, plenty of, all (of), some (of) and an fire.
uncountable noun we use a singular verb.
With each and every and a singular noun we • Every room has its own bathroom, but
use a singular verb. (For each of, see above.) • The boys have each drawn a picture.
With everyone, everybody, everything (and • Practically everyone thinks that Judith
similar words beginning any-, some- and should be given the job.
no-) we use a singular verb.

D Some phrases with a plural form are thought of as a single thing and have a singular verb. These
include phrases referring to measurements, amounts and quantities:
O • About three metres separates the runners in first and second places.
• • The fifty pounds he gave me was soon spent.
When a subject has two or more items joined by and, we usually use a plural verb:
• Jean and David are moving back to Australia.
However, phrases connected by and can also be followed by singular verbs if we think of them as
making up a single item:
• Meat pie and peas is Tom's favourite at the moment, (or Meat pie and peas are...)
Other phrases like this include fish and chips, and research and development (or R and D).
When a subject is made up of two or more items joined by (either) ...or... or (neither) ...nor... we
use a singular verb if the last item is singular (although a plural verb is sometimes used in informal
English), and a plural verb if it is plural:
• Either the station or the cinema is a good place to meet, (or ...are... in informal English)
• Neither the President nor his representatives are to attend the meeting.
If the last item is singular and the previous item plural, we can use a singular or plural verb:
• Either the teachers or the principal is (or are) to blame for the accident.

After per cent (also percent or %) we use a singular verb:
• An inflation rate of only 2 per cent makes a big difference to exports.
• Around 10 per cent of the forest is destroyed each year.
However, in phrases where we can use of + plural noun we use a plural verb:
• I would say that about 50 per cent of the houses need major repairs.
• I Of those interviewed, only 20 per cent (= of people interviewed) admit to smoking.
But where we use a singular noun that can be thought of either as a whole unit or a collection of
individuals, we can use a singular or plural verb (see also Unit 51B):
• Some 80 per cent of the electorate is expected to vote, (or ...are expected...)
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