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Business Writing Tips from The Writing Center


Sentence Structure -- Subject-Verb Agreement (2)
November 23, 2006

Number three of our 12 essential subject-verb agreement rules 

  1. If the subject of the sentence is a singular pronoun, use a singular verb.
    The 'e' pronouns and their negatives are always singular:
    each
    each one
    either, neither
    everybody, nobody
    everyone, no one
    everything, nothing

      Examples:
      Everybody (singular) in our department donates (singular) to United Way.

      Each (singular) of the executives wants (singular) his or her own office.
       
    These pronouns are also always singular:
    one
    anyone
    anybody
    someone
    somebody

    Example:
    Somebody
    (singular) in the audience is arguing (singular) with her husband.

    These pronouns are also always singular:
    one
    anyone
    anybody
    someone
    somebody

    Examples:
    All of the work is
    (singular) finished.

    None of the reports are
    (plural) finished.

    NOTE: None, used alone, may also be singular or plural. When the sense is "no persons or things," the plural is used: The proofreaders checked for errors, but none were found (none = no errors). When the sense is "not one," the singular is used: Of all my reports, none was as well written as my latest (none = not one).


To comment on this topic, visit our Business Writing Tips Forum.

This edition was adapted from our Business Grammar Program.

Previous editions may be read at http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.
 


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