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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Subject Verb Agreement Question
Subject Verb Agreement Question
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douglas
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Subject Verb Agreement Question
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Hi Everbody, Happy New Year!
Today is my first day back to work and I don �t know if it �s just me or what?
I am working on a subject-verb agreement lesson and downloaded a couple of great worksheets to help, but now I �m not sure if something is correct or not.
The rule is: When two subjects are connected by "either...or" or "neither...nor", the second subject determines the number of the verb.
So, which of the following is correct and what �s a good rule for explaining it to my students:
Either he or I are to go to New York in July.
Either he or I am to go to New York in July.
Either he or I is to go to New York in July.
(I have the feeling that my "native speaker" instinct is wrong on this one.)
Douglas |
4 Jan 2011
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libertybelle
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Well Douglas - I wouldn �t say that sentence like that - would you?
I �d say......either he is or I am going to New York in July.
You �d NEVER say either he or I is! (sounds wrong - don �t you think?)
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4 Jan 2011
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zailda
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In fact, the verb matches with the nearest subject (or part of it):
Either Mark or the girls are...
Either the girls or Mark is...
So, either he or I am...
Have a nice day! |
4 Jan 2011
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douglas
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the answer key says: "Either he or I am to go ..." is correct.
my instinct says "are" is correct, but I suspect it �s wrong
Changing it to "Either Doug �r Carrie..." I would use "is". So it seems either "am" or "is" must be correct.
Edit: I think you are right Z, it just sounds funny to me. |
4 Jan 2011
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zailda
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The second verb in "either... or..." and "neither... nor..." replaces the first, that is ommitted and is implied in the sentence. We only use the verb corresponding to the second (nearest) subject. In this sentence, the second verb substitutes the first: Either he (is) or I am...
EDIT: Sometimes Portuguese also sounds strange to me (and I�m also a Portuguese teacher). In Portuguese we don�t say: "There is a person here to see you" or "There are 5 students in the classroom". Although we know those are the correct constructions, we always replace "�there is / there are" by the verb "to have" and Brazilian students normally "transport" this mistake to English, so it�s common to say: "Have / Has a tree in front of the house." - without subject, as we use in spoken Portuguese. However, it�s wrong even in Portuguese but if we use the verb correctly everyone will look at us like if we had said something wrong. |
4 Jan 2011
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dennismychina
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Hi, I seem remember (and believe me this goes a long way back) we were taught to extend the sentence. ie. Either he is to go to New York in July or I am to go to New York in July.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy |
4 Jan 2011
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rodrigoleao2005
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Hi Douglas,
When I is one of the two subjects connected by neither/nor or either/or , put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.
So the sentence "Either he or I am to go ..." is correct.
Cheers ,
Rodrigo |
4 Jan 2011
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douglas
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Thanks everybody!
I think I �m okay with it now:
If I keep the given format then "am" is the correct verb form, but it is better to extend the sentence and use a verb for each part of the subject.
I can live with that!
Douglas |
4 Jan 2011
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ballycastle1
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Hi Douglas,
Either ...or... = singular verb, coresponding, as Zailda says, with the nearest subject, therefore Either he or I am to go....
Swan doesn �t give a specific example for either...or... but he does say that in a Neither ...nor construction, in a formal style we use the singular verb Neither James nor Virginia was at home, but in an informal style, we can use a plural verb after two subjects: Neither James nor Virginia were at home.
Hope this is of some use. |
4 Jan 2011
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libertybelle
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Perhaps it sounds weird because it is a weird sentence.
It sure sounds archaic in my ears - that might be why
you think it sounds strange and are in doubt!!!
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4 Jan 2011
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class centre
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From neither � nor. The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993Neither is paired with nor as either is with or,
and in those uses as conjunctions they pose usage problems of
agreement. Usually they will take a singular verb if both parts of the
structure are singular, as in Neither he nor his friend is ready,
and if the first element is plural but the second element remains
singular, the structure may still take a singular verb, as in Neither my friends nor my father is ready, although a plural is also possible. But if the second element is plural, the verb will almost always be plural: Neither my father nor his friends are ready. Agreement between neither/nor
and the verb is frequently a matter of notional agreement: hence
Standard English in all but its most Formal and Oratorical situations
will usually accept either number of the verb.
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4 Jan 2011
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