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Vsuresh Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Grammar

'None' takes a singular verb or a plural verb depending on the context, which I am not clear about.

Can you help with examples to understand this?

suresh
  

Top answer

It's complicated. "none" usually takes a singular verb when not followed by a noun: None was willing to help me. But "none of + plural noun" is likely to be followed by a plural verb when a group of "something" is regarded as a whole: None of the students were paying attention to the lecture.

— Ozzourti

  • It's complicated.
  • "none" usually takes a singular verb when not followed by a noun: None was willing to help me.
  • But "none of + plural noun" is likely to be followed by a plural verb when a group of "something" is regarded as a whole: None of the students were paying attention to the lecture.
  • If we treat each individual separately, then we should choose a singular verb: None of them is better than anyone else.
  • Hope that helps.
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1 Answers
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It's complicated.

"none" usually takes a singular verb when not followed by a noun:

None was willing to help me.

But "none of + plural noun" is likely to be followed by a plural verb when a group of "something" is regarded as a whole:

None of the students were paying attention to the lecture.

If we treat each individu
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