by Jennie Ruby
Note: Asterisks indicate incorrect sentences.
One thing that keeps grammar interesting is that the rules sometimes change to keep up with the ways people use the language. A rule you learned in elementary school–or that your boss learned in elementary school–may no longer be in effect. In my grammar classes I find that people are "shocked, SHOCKED,"a to find that certain rules have changed.
The rule for how to use none in a sentence is an example of a rule that changed.
I remember being taught that none means "not one" and should be matched up with a singular verb, like this:
*None of the many pens I own works when I need to take notes on a phone call.*
The theory was that "none works" should be read the same as "not one works." But when people use the word none in everyday speech and writing, they often match the verb to a plural word that follows the word none, like this:
None of the pens are working.
The people who write grammar books finally decided to go with the flow and change the rule to match the way actual writers and speakers of English use the word. The big change occurred, as best I can remember, around 1983. New grammar books published about that time started listing none as a word that can be plural or singular in a sentence, depending on the word it refers to.
The way to correctly use none in a sentence today is to determine what word it is referring to, determine whether that word is plural or singular, and then make the verb plural or singular to match, like this:
None of the apples are ripe.
None of this apple is edible.
In the first sentence, none refers to apples, which is plural, so you use the plural verb are. In the second sentence, none refers to apple, which is singular, so you use the singular verb is.
a From the movie Casablanca.
About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Essentials of Access 2000" and "Editing with MS Word 2003 and Adobe Acrobat 7" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.
Want help with a grammar issue? Email us your troubles and we’ll turn Jennie loose!
This is not a recent change. “none” has been used with singular and plural verbs in serious writing since Old English. The idea that “none” should only be singular arose in the 19th century, but there is no basis for it.
This is not a recent change. “none” has been used with singular and plural verbs in serious writing since Old English. The idea that “none” should only be singular arose in the 19th century, but there is no basis for it.
This is not a recent change. “none” has been used with singular and plural verbs in serious writing since Old English. The idea that “none” should only be singular arose in the 19th century, but there is no basis for it.
Can you help me with a grammar emergency, by which I mean “help me settle a bet”?
In the phrase “If Rich’s house is sold by Rich” what part of speech is “by Rich”?
Can you help me with a grammar emergency, by which I mean “help me settle a bet”?
In the phrase “If Rich’s house is sold by Rich” what part of speech is “by Rich”?
Can you help me with a grammar emergency, by which I mean “help me settle a bet”?
In the phrase “If Rich’s house is sold by Rich” what part of speech is “by Rich”?
I sent your question to Jennie. Stay tuned to my newsletter for her response.
I sent your question to Jennie. Stay tuned to my newsletter for her response.
I sent your question to Jennie. Stay tuned to my newsletter for her response.
Are you sure it can be both? I was always told to cancel prepositional phrases before checking to see if a sentence ‘sounded’ right. Prepositional phrases have nothing to do with subject-verb agreement. If what you say is true, then that rule cannot be applied anymore.
Are you sure it can be both? I was always told to cancel prepositional phrases before checking to see if a sentence ‘sounded’ right. Prepositional phrases have nothing to do with subject-verb agreement. If what you say is true, then that rule cannot be applied anymore.
Are you sure it can be both? I was always told to cancel prepositional phrases before checking to see if a sentence ‘sounded’ right. Prepositional phrases have nothing to do with subject-verb agreement. If what you say is true, then that rule cannot be applied anymore.