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Daddyjohn Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Is this grammar rule valid?

I read a grammar rule (Jane Strauss "Grammar Book") which is illustrated in this sentence:

Neither the students nor the teacher is present. According to the rule, this is wrong.

To be correct, the plural subject should be placed last so that the verb should also be plural.

Neither the teacher nor the students are present.

I would highly appreciate what you will have to say about this.
  

Top answer

Hi My grammar book says that, in case the first item is plural and the second one singular, you may choose either a singular or plural verb. (Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use - by Martin Hewings) Kind regards Dokterjokkebrok

— Dokterjokkebrok

  • Hi My grammar book says that, in case the first item is plural and the second one singular, you may choose either a singular or plural verb.
  • (Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use - by Martin Hewings) Kind regards Dokterjokkebrok
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6 Answers
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Hi

My grammar book says that, in case the first item is plural and the second one singular, you may choose
either a singular or plural verb.
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Thank you so much for your assistance, dokterjokkebrok.
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daddyjohnI read a grammar rule (Jane Strauss "Grammar Book") which is illustrated in this sentence:

Neither the students nor the teacher is present. According to the rule, this is wrong.

To be correct, the plural subject should be placed last so that the verb should also be plural.

Neither the teacher nor the students are present.

I wo
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I was really wondering. My sincerest thanks too, Grammar Geek.
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It's not a grammar rule: it's a style suggestion. People are often confused by the use of the singular verb in such a construction, even though it is completely grammatically correct. By inverting the order of the parts, this whole issue can be avoided, and a plural verb becomes correct.
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It is a matter of sequence. If you approach the answer from that perspective, then it is understandably correct. There you have two subjects and the singular subject comes first, therefore the plural subject comes second and the verb always follows the subject, therefore a plural subject takes a plural verb.
(students are)
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