by Jennie Ruby
One of the most fun rules of grammar to me is this one: When a sentence has two subjects, and the two subjects are joined by the word or, you match the verb to the subject closer to the verb. In other words, whichever noun is closer to the verb wins. Here are some examples:
- Jim or his two sons are going to repair the front walk.
- The two boys or Jim is going to repair the front walk.
In number 1, the plural verb are is used to match the plural subject two sons. In number 2, is matches Jim.
Sentences where there is a plural noun/subject first, followed by a singular subject close to the verb, sometimes sound odd or incorrect. In those cases a quick fix is to rearrange the subjects so that the plural one is next to the verb:
Example 1:
- Pliers or a pry-bar is a good tool for removing bent nails.
- A pry-bar or pliers are good for removing bent nails.
Example 2:
- The buttons or the complete toolbar is then activated.
- The complete toolbar or the buttons are then activated.
So the game is matchy-matchy between the verb and the subject closer to the verb. And just so you know, either/or and neither/nor follow the same rule as or.
Join Jennie in our online classes (she'll be teaching two upcoming classes for IconLogic): Writing Training Documents and eLearning Scripts and Editing with Microsoft Word 2007.