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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Pronouns
Which is correct subject/verb agreement, none of us is smarter than all of us or none of us are smarter than all of us? I think that none stands for no one, so the verb is should be used. However my colleagues think none is plural, so the verb are is correct.
Top answer
And welcome to the basic dilemma on this topic. You are right that 'none is' is the traditionally correct agreement. The fact remains, however, that people are often thinking of several items when they say that 'none of these plates are chipped', particularly when the 'none' is followed by an 'of + plural noun' phrase, and therefore both forms are coming to assume equal acceptibility.
- And welcome to the basic dilemma on this topic.
- You are right that 'none is' is the traditionally correct agreement.
- The fact remains, however, that people are often thinking of several items when they say that 'none of these plates are chipped', particularly when the 'none' is followed by an 'of + plural noun' phrase, and therefore both forms are coming to assume equal acceptibility.
- Exactly when equality will hit the mainstream grammar books is hard to determine, but the plural form is already informally acceptable, so I wouldn't argue the matter too heavily.
- Having said that, in your particular sentences, 'none of us is smarter than all of us', vs.
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2 Answers
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And welcome to the basic dilemma on this topic. You are right that 'none is' is the traditionally correct agreement. The fact remains, however, that people are often thinking of several items when they say that 'none of these plates are chipped', particularly when the 'none' is followed by an 'of + plural noun' phrase, and therefore both forms are coming to assume equal acceptibility. Exactly
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Something whimsical?
"none" may stand for "no one", but does that make it singular?
To me singular means there is one (single) thing we are talking about.
In fact "no one" (Note the word "no"!) is not the same as "one".
Stated differently, "one" is numerically 1; "no one" is not numerically 1, it is 0 (zero).
Maybe we should think in terms of singular and non-si
"none" may stand for "no one", but does that make it singular?
To me singular means there is one (single) thing we are talking about.
In fact "no one" (Note the word "no"!) is not the same as "one".
Stated differently, "one" is numerically 1; "no one" is not numerically 1, it is 0 (zero).
Maybe we should think in terms of singular and non-si
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