"If you or your mother need help" or "If you or your mother needs help"?
Hi everyone! I've been stuck on this for quite some time and my mind's foggy because of the overthinking.
I would like to check which of these are correct:
If you or your mother need help...
If you or your mother needs help...
If you or your partner is experiencing...
If you or your partner are experiencing...
#1 and #3 sound the most "natural" to me. But according to grammar rules, when "or" is concerned, the verb in the sentence should be singular, as per the last noun. Taking this into consideration, #1 would technically be wrong.
I think the use of "you" is throwing me off. Things seem to be more straightforward when inanimate objects are concerned. For example:
If your laptop or computer shuts down without warning...
If your pillow or mattress is causing discomfort...
Top answer
banana zany 64 I think the use of "you" is throwing me off. I think you're right. Despite the "rule", our brains seem to hold on to the "you" and expect agreement with it.
- banana zany 64 I think the use of "you" is throwing me off.
- I think you're right.
- Despite the "rule", our brains seem to hold on to the "you" and expect agreement with it.
- : a) If your sisters or your mother need help ...
- b) If your sisters or your mother needs help ...
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banana zany 64I think the use of "you" is throwing me off.
I think you're right. Despite the "rule", our brains seem to hold on to the "you" and expect agreement with it. Something similar could be true with e.g.:
a) If your sisters or your mother need help ...
b) If your sisters or your mother needs help ...
I think that (a)
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