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Pleasehelp Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Many more
More than one of my friends is gone. Or
More than one of my friends are gone.
Shouldn't it be are since it's more than one?
More than one of my friends are gone.
Shouldn't it be are since it's more than one?
Top answer
Dear Pleasehelp, More than one of my friends is gone is correct. It follows grammatical concord (this kind of concord is usually obeyed with more than and many a ). The subject is notionally plural (=Many friends are gone), but the singular is preferred because one is analysed as the head of a noun phrase.
- Dear Pleasehelp, More than one of my friends is gone is correct.
- It follows grammatical concord (this kind of concord is usually obeyed with more than and many a ).
- The subject is notionally plural (=Many friends are gone), but the singular is preferred because one is analysed as the head of a noun phrase.
- Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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9 Answers
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Dear Pleasehelp,
More than one of my friends is gone is correct. It follows grammatical concord (this kind of concord is usually obeyed with more than and many a). The subject is notionally plural (=Many friends are gone), but the singular is preferred because one is analysed as the head of a noun phrase.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
More than one of my friends is gone is correct. It follows grammatical concord (this kind of concord is usually obeyed with more than and many a). The subject is notionally plural (=Many friends are gone), but the singular is preferred because one is analysed as the head of a noun phrase.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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Gleb, but would it be incorrect to use the plural form of the verb?
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Hi,
We use either--'One of my friends is gone.'---or ---'many of my friends are gone'.
Anyway we shall wait for other answers too.
Thank you.
We use either--'One of my friends is gone.'---or ---'many of my friends are gone'.
Anyway we shall wait for other answers too.
Thank you.
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Greetings, Tarirotari,
I usually treat terms like 'correct' or 'incorrect' with caution. Grammatical concrord (the one I suggest for this example) is usual in teaching practice, but speakers often feel uncertain about the rules, given that proximity principle (...friends + are) distracts them from seeing the whole structure of the sentence. I suspect that the plural verb is recurr
I usually treat terms like 'correct' or 'incorrect' with caution. Grammatical concrord (the one I suggest for this example) is usual in teaching practice, but speakers often feel uncertain about the rules, given that proximity principle (...friends + are) distracts them from seeing the whole structure of the sentence. I suspect that the plural verb is recurr
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So it's is because of one not because of more?
Because more is also a noun.
Because more is also a noun.
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Exactly. One is the head here. It may be worth remembering that after more than/many a the grammatical concord is used:
More than one [member] has left the meeting unsatisfied.
Many a [member] has left the meeting unsatisfied.
'More' is a determiner.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
More than one [member] has left the meeting unsatisfied.
Many a [member] has left the meeting unsatisfied.
'More' is a determiner.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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Yes, Gleb, you were right. This is what I've found on the matter:
After one of and a plural noun/pronoun we use a singular verb.
"One of my friends has dropped school."
So I infer that if we have "more than one of" instead of just "one of", we must keep using the singular form of the verb since, as you pointed out, the head of the phrase is the same.
Nevertheless
After one of and a plural noun/pronoun we use a singular verb.
"One of my friends has dropped school."
So I infer that if we have "more than one of" instead of just "one of", we must keep using the singular form of the verb since, as you pointed out, the head of the phrase is the same.
Nevertheless
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Thanks for your contribution, Tarirotari.
Indeed, the specific case you mention may be misleading, but one should keep in mind that the postmodifier who have dropped school refers primarily to the word students, and therefore requires a plural verb form.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
Indeed, the specific case you mention may be misleading, but one should keep in mind that the postmodifier who have dropped school refers primarily to the word students, and therefore requires a plural verb form.
Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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Yes, of course, 'students' is in that case the subject of the subordinate clause.
Thanks, Gleb.
Thanks, Gleb.
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