Compound subjects with ‘and’ – singular or plural?
A while ago I was asked about exceptions to a simple grammar rule: “compound subjects joined by and should always be plural”. For example, Jack and Jill go up the hill. Or Eggs and butter are great together. But what about the saying Slow and steady wins the race.? As...
Singular and Plural Verbs with “Either…or” and “Neither…nor”
Subject/verb agreement can be confusing when we use either…oror neither…nor couplets. As we’re presenting a noun phrase withmultiple objects, it seems natural to use a plural verb, but the verb may often be used in the singular. This depends on the nouns included; the...
Should “no” be followed by a singular or a plural noun?
No is used to describe nouns, meaning zero – no cheese, no fun, no noise, no clowns, etc. Withuncountable nouns, zero is always followed by a plural – zero people, zero degrees, etc. However, no is more flexible than zero. Normally, it is followed by a plural...Countable and uncountable nouns and plurals (exercises)
The following exercises are designed to test your knowledge of countable and uncountable nouns and plurals. The ability to count a noun will change the verb conjugation and the type of quantifier you use for it (for example, fewer/less). The first exercise tests the...Want to Master English?
ELB has produced a series of bestselling English guides, available from all major retailers, with over 40,000 copies sold worldwide. Click a cover to learn more!
