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Anonymous Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Has vs Have

How about this for a tough one?
has or have

Homework is generally of a satisfactory standard, but some 'has/have' been handed in late.

I would have thought 'have' as, although 'homework' can be both singular and plural, the context of the sentence and the use of the word 'some' suggests plural.
Maths say 'has' they could be correct but, to me, it just doesn't read properly

(just a wee carpentry teacher trying to sort out grammar for the Maths dept. because the English dept. always give awful cryptic, half answers because, I think, they simply just don't know!)

Thankyou Emotion: smile
  

Top answer

Some homework has ... Uncountable nouns (ones we can't simply plonk a number in front of, like 'homework') have to be treated as if they are singular. When you buy petrol, you put it in the car, not them .

  • Some homework has ...
  • Uncountable nouns (ones we can't simply plonk a number in front of, like 'homework') have to be treated as if they are singular.
  • When you buy petrol, you put it in the car, not them .
  • However, if you're breaking it down into individual chunks - a countable piece of homework for instance - then the word piece is what you need to agree with the verb.
  • Hence you would say: Some pieces of homework have been...
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1 Answers
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Some homework has...

Uncountable nouns (ones we can't simply plonk a number in front of, like 'homework') have to be treated as if they are singular. When you buy petrol, you put it in the car, not them.

However, if you're breaking it down into individual chunks - a countable piece of homework for instance - then the word piece is what you ne

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