Was/were
I'm quite confused by the choice between 'was' and 'were'. On the one hand, wallet is directly before the verb, so it should be singular, on the other hand, there is more than one thing to consider (keys and wallet). Which form, then, should be used?
"I didn't know where the keys and wallet was/were".
Thank you
Top answer
I didn't know where the keys and wallet was /were. In general a subject consisting of a coordination of two noun phrases linked by and takes a plural verb. It doesn't matter whether the individual coordinates are singular or plural: the coordination as a whole denotes a set containing at least two members, and hence takes a plural verb.
- I didn't know where the keys and wallet was /were.
- In general a subject consisting of a coordination of two noun phrases linked by and takes a plural verb.
- It doesn't matter whether the individual coordinates are singular or plural: the coordination as a whole denotes a set containing at least two members, and hence takes a plural verb.
- There are a couple of exceptions to this 'rule', but they are not relevant here.
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I didn't know where the keys and wallet was/were.
In general a subject consisting of a coordination of two noun phrases linked by and takes a plural verb. It doesn't matter whether the individual coordinates are singular or plural: the coordination as a whole denotes a set containing at least two members, and hence takes a plural verb.
There are a couple
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