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Klingo Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Is/Are any of you...?

Hi,

Which is correct in the following? Say, there are a few persons in front of me and I ask them:

(1) Are any of you interested in going out for a movie tonight?

(2) Is any of you interested in going out for a movie tonight?

To me "is" sounds better, but my question is whether it is ok to use "is" when the pronoun here is "you"...

Or is it a matter of singular/plural?

Thanks,

Klingo
  

Top answer

No: are. It has nothing to do with 'you'. 'Any' follows the number of the noun: Is any of the sugar left?

— Mister Micawber

  • No: are.
  • It has nothing to do with 'you'.
  • 'Any' follows the number of the noun: Is any of the sugar left?
  • Are any of your friends left?
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10 Answers
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No: are. It has nothing to do with 'you'. 'Any' follows the number of the noun:

Is any of the sugar left?

Are any of your friends left?
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Thanks a lot!

Klingo
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but i've read this somewhere ------- Is anyone here ? waitt i don't understand !!
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Because there is no one evident. In your original, there are several people gathered.
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Use 'are' for plurals and 'is' for singles.

Any implies plural unless otherwise indicated; therefore 'are' is used by default. However, if the 'any' is called out as singular, then use 'is'.

Anyone is singular. Compare against 'any one'. Likewise for 'anybody': it means any single body (person). And so on.

Are any of you listening? (You refers to the class/crowd/audience
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Just one more question.

Let's change the number of people from a few to two and use "either" instead of "any". Then, is the following correct?

Is either of you interested in going out for a movie tonight?

Thanks again,

Klingo
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The rule for 'any' and the rule for 'either' is the same.


Any/Either of (plus a plural noun or pronoun) can be followed by a verb in the singular or plural: If any/either of your friends want/wants to come, they are welcome. Plural is preferred in everyday language; singular is more formal. Of course, the verb precedes the subject in a question. Is/Are any/either

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Thanks CJ,

for the advice and the link as well.

Klingo
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INCORRECT EXAMPLE PROVIDED ABOVE: If any/either of your friends want/wants to come, they are welcome.


CORRECT EXAMPLE 1: If any/either of your friends wants to come, he is welcome.

CORRECT EXAMPLE 2: If any of your friends wants to come, they are welcome.

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Are gets used when when you're talking directly, is is used when you're not talking to them directly.


Are either you two interested in going out?

(Talking to the one friend in the room): Are you going out tonight?


(Talking to another friend about someone else): Is Sam interested in going out tonight?

(For example, wife

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