0
Grammarian-bot Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Could nothing be invariably singular?
I've found the followng article in The American Heritage Book of English.
3. Nothing except your fears is your worst dream.
To me, is here doesn't sound much good. Please can someone assure me whether a singular verb should always be used with nothing or not.
GB
According to the traditional rule, nothing is invariably treated as a singular, even when followed by an exception phrase containing a plural noun:As far as verbs like "stand" and "meet" are concerned, one doesn't found difficulty to accept that they could be used with a singular mark (stands & meets) with nothing. But thinking about a verb "to be" used as a singular with nothing creates bit of a doubt. Consider the following example;
1. Nothing except your fears stands (not stand) in your way.
2. Nothing but roses meets (not meet) the eye.
3. Nothing except your fears is your worst dream.
To me, is here doesn't sound much good. Please can someone assure me whether a singular verb should always be used with nothing or not.
GB
Top answer
The problem isn't with nothing taking a singular verb, the problem is with your example. " But 3 - "Nothing is your worst dream" doesn't make sense. If you want to see one with "to be," then try this: Nothing is certain except death and taxes = Nothing except death and taxes is certain.
- The problem isn't with nothing taking a singular verb, the problem is with your example.
- " But 3 - "Nothing is your worst dream" doesn't make sense.
- If you want to see one with "to be," then try this: Nothing is certain except death and taxes = Nothing except death and taxes is certain.
- Does that help?
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
19 Answers
0
The problem isn't with nothing taking a singular verb, the problem is with your example.
In 1, it's "Nothing stands in your way - except your fears."
In 2, it's "Nothing meets the eye - except roses."
But 3 - "Nothing is your worst dream" doesn't make sense. If you want to see one with "to be," then try this: Nothing is certain except death and taxes = Nothing except de
In 1, it's "Nothing stands in your way - except your fears."
In 2, it's "Nothing meets the eye - except roses."
But 3 - "Nothing is your worst dream" doesn't make sense. If you want to see one with "to be," then try this: Nothing is certain except death and taxes = Nothing except de
00
Well I don't know how these examples copuls be wrng because these examples (except the 3rd one) were taken from AMrtican Heritage Book of English. The link is given below.
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/042.html
GB
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/042.html
GB
00
The first two aren't wrong - only the third one is. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.
00
0
0
Nothing - meaning not a single thing, not a single part of something requires singular.
00
1. Nothing except your fears stand in your way.
2. Nothing but roses meet the eye.
The tradition is to use a singular verb with nothing in writing, but using a plural verb is acceptable in spoken English.
2. Nothing but roses meet the eye.
The tradition is to use a singular verb with nothing in writing, but using a plural verb is acceptable in spoken English.
00
If it is acceptable in some spoken English, then the, as it were, spoken English should be reconsidered. What is wrong is wrong. I would warn students that some people say it this way, but people say so many things in so many ways...
Slava
Slava
00
You can't put the genie back in the bottle. English evolves, perhaps more quickly than other languages - I don't know about that part.
Changes start with "what you hear" and migrate to what you yourself say (like the singular "they" in my case), and finally to what the "usage experts" concede is acceptable or not.
I don't agree that wrong is wrong. Wrong can be wrong in
Changes start with "what you hear" and migrate to what you yourself say (like the singular "they" in my case), and finally to what the "usage experts" concede is acceptable or not.
I don't agree that wrong is wrong. Wrong can be wrong in
00
Grammar GeekWhat is okay in a car full of teenagers is not okay in a business report.And vice versa.
I agree with GG; I think it's more useful to talk about what's acceptable in different social contexts rather than absolute right and wrong.
0
Related Questions