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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Agreement with "one or more"

One or more message you attempted to send was not received?

Or is it

One or more messages you attempted to send were not received?

I think, according to what I've read here on agreement, that "messages" should be plural so as to agree with "more," as it is closer. But I would like to confirm.

Many thanks.
  

Top answer

I find this one very difficult to decide. I would certainly write "more messages" with the plural, because messages are countable, but the phrase "or more messages" still seems parenthetical in the sense that "one (message)" is really the subject regardless of the addition of "or more messages", and I'd be tempted to use "was". "were" seems to indicate with certainty that the number of messages not received was two or more, which is not the intent of the sentence.

— CalifJim

  • I find this one very difficult to decide.
  • I would certainly write "more messages" with the plural, because messages are countable, but the phrase "or more messages" still seems parenthetical in the sense that "one (message)" is really the subject regardless of the addition of "or more messages", and I'd be tempted to use "was".
  • "were" seems to indicate with certainty that the number of messages not received was two or more, which is not the intent of the sentence.
  • One of more messages you attempted to send was not received.
  • Others may disagree, so wait for other answers.
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2 Answers
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I find this one very difficult to decide. I would certainly write "more messages" with the plural, because messages are countable, but the phrase "or more messages" still seems parenthetical in the sense that "one (message)" is really the subject regardless of the addition of "or more messages", and I'd be tempted to use "was". "were" seems to indicate with certainty that the number of messages
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AnonymousOne or more message you attempted to send was not received? Or is it

One or more messages you attempted to send were not received.

I think, according to what I've read here on agreement, that "messages" should be plural so as to agree with "more," as it is closer. But I would like to confirm. Many thanks.


I agree w
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