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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Verb in singular or plural?
Friends,
Please, which is the right way?
1) Neither Paul nor John is American. or 2) Neither Paul nor John are American.
1) Both Paul and John is American. or 2) Both Paul and John are American.
1) Both Paul and John is a doctor. or 2) Both Paul and John are doctors.
I'm asking this because in my native language, Portuguese, the verb can be used in plural (if we consider both subjects, Paul and John) or in singular (if we consider only John, the last one mentioned); verb agreement rules, so to speak. What about in English? Is it the same reasoning?
Thank you very much.
brunces
Please, which is the right way?
1) Neither Paul nor John is American. or 2) Neither Paul nor John are American.
1) Both Paul and John is American. or 2) Both Paul and John are American.
1) Both Paul and John is a doctor. or 2) Both Paul and John are doctors.
I'm asking this because in my native language, Portuguese, the verb can be used in plural (if we consider both subjects, Paul and John) or in singular (if we consider only John, the last one mentioned); verb agreement rules, so to speak. What about in English? Is it the same reasoning?
Thank you very much.
brunces
Top answer
Anonymous My two cents: 1) Neither Paul nor John is American. or 2) Neither Paul nor John are American. When you see "neither nor" structure with two pronouns, give importance to the latest pronoun.
- Anonymous My two cents: 1) Neither Paul nor John is American.
- or 2) Neither Paul nor John are American.
- When you see "neither nor" structure with two pronouns, give importance to the latest pronoun.
- Your last pronoun is John here so use "is".
- 1) Both Paul and John is American.
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5 Answers
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Anonymous My two cents:
1) Neither Paul nor John is American. or 2) Neither Paul nor John are American. When you see "neither nor" structure with two pronouns, give importance to the latest pronoun. Your last pronoun is John here so use "is".
1) Both Paul and John is American. or 2) Both Paul and
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You can search netiher nor on the search box right above. There are lots of information there. I am sure you can't read them all!
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Just a tiny sidenote: Doll referred to "pronouns," but she meant just "nouns."
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Ah thanks GG! The example in my mind had pronouns. This is why I wrote pronouns. 
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